


Yang and Yin

by LimbicHijack



Category: Samurai Jack (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:53:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 159,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25518346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LimbicHijack/pseuds/LimbicHijack
Summary: A demon called Nebula has been attacking Jack. Jack is confused when he sees Aku and Nebula fighting so he goes on a dangerous quest to get answers he is not prepared for.Aku has a new opponent, one who doesn't care if the entire planet is destroyed if he doesn't get his way.Thank you my wonderful friends who are letting me use their characters in my FF:Yerena who belongs to Snowykitten2001 on instagram <3And Igni who belongs to Natsucki3 on instagram ;3 <3Ana and Ania are mineNebula played by SyrenoxThe Witch played by Dr. Glass
Relationships: Aku/Samurai Jack
Comments: 56
Kudos: 52





	1. Nebula

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The world will never be the same](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7689790) by [AbbySomething](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbbySomething/pseuds/AbbySomething). 



His feet were slipping on wet rock as he went. Each flash of lightning blinded him in the darkness all over again. The only reason he wasn’t crushed by the next blow was because he’d finally lost his footing and stumbled down the side of the hill. So close was the impact that felt stone hit his cheek and slice through his gi in several places. A shrill cry blended horribly with the thunder as lightning exploded up the side of the hill.  
Jacks eyes stung but he could not close them. He was spinning through darkness, unable to see the ground or keep track of where his enemy was, but if he blinked— A blinding light shot forward, climbing impossibly through the air and he braced himself behind his blade as pure energy struck him once again.  
Jack screamed as he flew the air. Unable to keep track of where the ground was he struggled to right himself. Only when a branch struck him violently in the hip did he locate earth, but by then it was too late to brace correctly. He scrambled for branches as they struck him left and right but he was still flying backwards with such force that they broke as he went.  
He hit the ground with a crunch.  
Air seemed miles away even as another strike of lightning hit just 100 feet from where he was laying at odd angles in a nest of broken branches. Jack struggled to push himself up, shuttering, his fingers white around the handle of his sword.  
Where are you !  
The thunderous voice echoed. Jack froze. His eyes scanned the jungle around him, burning yellow in some places, the cries of exotic birds and terrified monkeys sounded from all directions. The red electricity lit up the sky in velvety glowing tendrils. It climbed between high branches and struck erratically at the ground. A tickle rose in Jack’s throat and he slowly blinked, reaching up slowly to touch his mouth. There was a metallic taste in his mouth, a matching one in his throat and wherever his fingers touched he spread more of his own blood.  
A cough fought its way up his throat and even as he covered his mouth the sound of wet wracking hacks escaped him.  
He felt it before he saw it, every hair on his body stood on end, his veins rose to the surface of his skin and then it hit. There was no time to move his sword.  
Everything went completely black.  
He wasn’t sure how long he’d been out. He was sure it had only been seconds, but a terrible full body pain was rising from every corner of his body. This time he heard it, the sound of crackling, before the sensation of life being drawn out of him and he closed his eyes. 

There was a horrid CRACK. 

Besides his muscles jerking in surprise he felt no pain. He looked upwards again. In the sky was a crackling circle where the lightning had hit, that seemed like a hole in the sky. Black ink swirled and twisted out in a spiral. The red lightning was quick to strike it several more times but it did not stop the blackness from increasing.

Jack sat up slowly, still watching the sky, as he quietly pulled himself out of the branches. 

As red light once again reached for the hole in the sky its lightning flash was followed back to the source by a jagged shadow that struck somewhere in the far distance. Enraged screaming was followed by very familiar cries of rage. 

Jack managed to relax his grip enough to sheath the sword at his side and stagger into the jungle. The world behind him was flashing wildly and his eyes struggled to focus as he went, knocking into every tree as he went. His clothes snagged on thorny vines and his legs shook as he struggled to not twist his ankles through the angry red surroundings. His leg snagged and the lights made him sick as he fell, so he covered his eyes and blindly climbed on. He stumbled as far away from the noises as he could get before he leaned against a something solid and fell asleep.


	2. Aku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aku really hates Nebula. How dare somebody else almost succeed in killing Jack?

Aku threw the lighting strikes right back at *It* and heard a gratifying scream at each hit. Yet It drew itself back together and came back at him. A black tendril of Akus swatted it away viciously and was met with the crackling burn of lightning once again.  
Aku shifted into a great cobra and spat.  
It shifted into a long spider like cat, clawing and hissing.  
Aku set fire to It.  
It set the jungle alight even as rain poured down upon the battle.  
Aku shot lasers.  
It fired back lightning.  
Finally Aku formed himself fully from the shadows to grasp It in his claws. At once It shifted into a thousand outstretched spikes and Aku threw It to the ground and screeched, sending sound waves crashing down into iI.  
For a moment It sagged, finally taking a solid form. Aku blinked for a moment in surprise, It didn’t look all that different from a human. With its long red hair and frail outline.  
He reached down but before he could grasp It again, It looked back up and glowered, flying back into a beam of red light. Aku tried sound once again, but at this It shifted into a vortex and began shining a blinding light in all directions. As the light reached Aku’s form, his edges began to burn and fray.  
Aku backed away, drawing himself back into the shadows as It grew in size and began ravaging the earth below with lightning until everything around It was dead. As It came forward once again, Aku teleported away.

These dances were increasing in frequency. Each more dangerous than the last as Aku tried to work out a weakness long enough to do damage to the thing without revealing his own weaknesses. Aku was becoming fixated. His regular activities were being left to his followers while he tried to track the movements of It and figure out just what It was exactly. He had a nasty feeling about it and an uncanny valley type vertigo every time they faced off.  
*Could there really be another ?* He wondered as he traveled rapidly through the shadows. *If it is like me.. will It try to destroy me? What does It want?* He could not picture anything like himself that was not destructive and yet he could not picture anything like himself that was not also curious. *Does it not wonder how I can use my powers as I wonder where it goes when It is not before me?* Did It hide and rest between bouts of firestorms and lightning tornadoes across random sections of the planet 

Aku reappeared in the former jungle just to take another look at the damage. Pity the thing had destroyed all the ancient trees in the area. He might have salvaged some but this damage wasn’t like the fire he set. Fires could be good… they allowed room for new growth and change. This heat melted everything alive that remained close to it, drained the life out of the soil, and dried the area like a terrible scar. What a headache. Aku glanced at the jungle just beyond the circle of distraction and focused on the clouds of humidity moving through just there.. unable to break the barrier into this alien desert.  
Aku liked trees. This just irked him further. 

He shrunk to a human size and wandered around the perimeter, losing himself in thoughts of how he could rid himself of this new enemy. If he himself could not match its power? No. It was impossible, it was not an option to consider, he hadn’t given up before and he wasn’t about to start. Even if he hadn’t managed to kill the Samurai yet did not make him weak.  
The Samurai...  
Aku paused and stared out into the jungle. Brightly colored insects buzzed excitedly along the barrier, a bird cried out in the distance, and Aku watched with blazing eyes. The essence where his ‘left arm’ formed still burned from the light and it had been days. It wasn’t as damaged as it would have been if it had been the sword… yet the pain from that didn’t linger like this did.  
A sudden idea occurred to him and an image flashed before his eyes. Laying on his back exposed, while the samurai stood over him ready to strike, but just beside him was that red light— Aku shook his head. The greatly moral and sentimental man would never ally himself with a force of destruction. The image remained in his mind. Perhaps this is why he had not heard about the warrior in so long?  
He flexed his clawed fingers and called the ‘mirror’ to where he stood, he knew that if he went to the castle to get it there would be servants asking him questions. Servants that would not survive asking him questions. Not while he was in this mood. So he coiled himself into the shade of a tree and looked into the tear to see: Jack sleeping.

Jack grimaced in his sleep, he knew the sun was already up but he was still sore and he didn’t want to be awake to deal with it. The sensation of eyes staring down at him forced him to open his own. This was the third day he’d been in his makeshift tent he’d built out of branches and large tropical leaves. He shifted to take pressure of his ribs. 

No red demon? So far so good. The sight of the bandages around Jack’s torso didn’t fill Aku with the usual sense of opportunity. He just felt mildly annoyed. Who was Jack getting his ribs broken for, if not for Aku? 

Jack rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands before giving up and pushing himself upright against the tree his tent was leaning on. Since he was awake he might as well replace any bandages that needed to be removed. He lazily pulled a woven box into his lap and picked out supplies.  
He felt bleary so he put the back of his hand to his forehead and it was just as hot as he’d been afraid of. He was too far into the jungle to run into other people. This was by design of course, he knew if he was in one place too long where people could find him it was likely for one of Aku’s minions to find him. But now if he needed help it would be impossible to find, there was no way he could walk back out like this. The heat and humidity probably wasn’t helping either, he was bandaged up as well as he could manage but it made keeping the dressings dry very difficult. 

Aku stared at the box for a moment. The woven box—He had seen those very boxes just recently in a market just outside the original boarder of the jungle in the small city of traders. He blinked and looked more closely at the trees and leaves. Jack was here? Somewhere here. Aku watched in fascination as Jack exposed various injuries; definitely broken ribs, he’d seen that happen to Jack before. But there were also dark bruises on his arms and shoulders, even some around his neck. There were scrapes on all his joints it seemed, cuts on his fingers, and a good gash in his right cheek. Jack gingerly took the bandages off his chest and Aku nearly flung the image away in surprise.

Jack grimaced at the sight of the mark. He wasn’t sure what to call it, what type of injury was made by getting hit by lightning, but he did know that it hurt. A lot. He paused in trying to rewrap himself, moving his arms around his chest was so exhausting. His heart seemed to struggle to support him. It seemed to be pounding hard enough to let him run and yet he couldn’t turn his body without gasping.  
The memory of staggering into that village and begging for assistance remained disconcerting. The looks on their faces when he fell in front of them like a zombie, broken and covered in his own blood, would probably haunt him for the rest of his life. An old couple had taken pity on him and helped him clean off. He’d repaid them with all the small treasures people had insisted upon giving him but that still hadn’t felt like enough. The old couple argued with him when he left the next day, shoving supplies into the woven box and insisting he take it along with some food. They had been right to argue with him. 

Aku impatiently tapped his claws on the ground. Was he going to wrap them back up or not? He didn’t have all day to watch the Samurai fail to take care of himself. He let go of the image and leaned against his own tree. If the Samurai died in the jungle alone because of his own stupidity, he, Aku, should not care. In fact, he should feel joyous.  
Instead he felt enraged. He closed his eyes to focus himself and wondered if the thing that had destroyed the jungle and nearly killed his arch nemesis even knew who Jack was. How dare It. How dare It disrespect Aku by so easily defeating a challenge that belonged to him. He growled at nothing in particular before sliding back into the darkness of the jungle in search once again. 

Jack jerked in confusion when he woke up. He didn’t remember falling asleep but now everything burned and his hair was soaked in his own sweat. The forrest swung this way and that, changing into half formed memories of different foliage from different lands. It might have been quite beautiful except for the fact that every time Jack tried to focus on it he wanted to throw up.  
Behind his closed lids he tried to sense his body and it told him; the sun had moved a ways across the sky, so he had slept in that awkward position for several hours, his fever had gotten worse, his uncovered wounds felt slimy, and he felt weak.  
A sudden silence startled him, the cry of birds and loud singing of insects had stopped just around him. Even the frogs hidden away in the mud and foliage stopped croaking. His bleary eyes were open and yet he could not see. The forrest continued to sway confusingly. Another crunch brought forth a shadow and not a moment later was standing before him, then leaning over him. Jack didn’t have enough energy to feel afraid. He didn’t even move when cold hands touched his face.  
“Do you need help, traveler?” a kind voice asked. Jack sighed at the cool feeling. He blinked a few more times and then looked upwards into piercingly green eyes. He didn’t know how the stranger had found him all the way out here but he didn’t feel particularly worried about it. His haze abated slowly as he struggled to see the man and when he un-blurred enough to see Jack couldn’t help but smile. It was so rare to see in here in this future, anyone so distinctly like the people he used to know, that he immediately knew… he was hallucinating. The stranger was Japanese. Well partially; he didn’t remember anyone back home having green eyes like that, but they were nice.  
“Do you need help, traveler?” said the illusion again.  
“[[I wish you could help me,]]” Jack muttered in Japanese. The man looked down at him, his green eyes growing round with confusion. Jack observed that the hallucination had sharp features, a long nose, wavy black hair even darker than his own, a devilish beard, and skin that was so pale it almost seemed green.  
“[[Do you need help?]]” the hallucination tried again. Jack blinked. What a familiar accent. It was not his the accent from his village but it was one he distinctly remembered. It was comforting.  
“[[Please,]]” Jack agreed softly, “[[I cannot move to change these bandages,]]”  
The hallucination let go of his face and Jack groaned at their loss. The stranger helped Jack lay on his back again, and removed the ointment from the wicker box. Jack jerked in surprise when he felt the cold gel touch his wounds.  
“[[Do not move,]]” the stranger warned sternly,  
Jack’s vision became more clear as the icy burn on his skin set in. He looked up at the stranger again, the stranger met his eyes for a moment but quickly looked away, returning to his task. Jack wasn’t sure if it was because of the fever, because the stranger was helping him, or because he was so comforted by the familiarity but it seemed to him that the man was quite attractive. Elegant even.  
A shudder overtook him and the forrest started to turn again.  
“[[—you?]]”  
“[[What?]]” Jack incoherently mumbled. The stranger scoffed in frustration.  
Jack felt arms underneath him and squirmed in surprise.  
“[[I said not to move,]]” the stranger scolded and then lifted him off the ground. Jack was impressed with the display of strength and laughed lightly.  
“[[Take this,]]”  
Jack felt something being pressed into his hands and instinctively gripped it. His sword! He’d nearly forgotten about it. Or had he? He couldn’t remember.  
“[[Thank you,]]” he mumbled into the strangers shoulder.  
The stranger paused and turned Jack’s face up as he glared down at him.  
“You cannot die here, fool,” he growled and Jack laughed again.  
“Okay,”

Aku waited only for a few moments before Jack was completely out cold again before shifting through darkness into a place he knew far away from here. He stood, still in his human form for a moment to look over the room. One entire wall of the room was a window facing down the side of a mountain.  
Thank you, he’d said, Thank you. Aku rolled his eyes and blew fire into the fireplace before turning and placing Jack in the bed.  
“Fool,” he told the sleeping form again, for good measure, before removing the bloody robes from him. He typed a number into the phone on the bedside table before fluttering into the kitchen and drawing out the teapot so that it would make tea itself. No point in hiding his magic while Jack was asleep. He wasn’t even sure Jack would notice if he were awake. Moments later there was a gentle knock at the door.  
“Leave it,” Aku said sharply, and listened to the sound of quickly retreating footsteps before commanding the cart to bring itself in as well. He shut and locked the door. With fire in his eyes he returned to the samurai’s side and took note of his injuries. He had seriously considered just leaving him in the care of doctors. It would be so much easier. But truly, he was just as likely to be killed by one of them then himself just because there was still a hit out.  
Aku unconsciously stroked his beard, listing what needed to be done in his mind before flicking his wrist out. Still completely asleep, Jack was lifted into a semi seated position as the pillows reorganized themselves.  
Fever? Aku reached out again and placed just the tips of his fingers on Jack’s head. He focused on the heat there, did it count as fire? He drew his hand away slowly, wrist still stiffly bent as a crackling burst of fire rose from the warriors skin and into Aku’s grasp. He stepped back, silently impressed with himself. He placed the fevered fire into a small cup of water and ignored the hiss as he placed his hand on Jack’s forehead once more. The fever had receded significantly. Aku hummed in appreciation.  
“Perhaps you were right to thank me,” he whispered, but Jack did not stir.  
Each of the injuries he found he addressed to the best of his knowledge, even stitching the gouge of a cut on Jacks face with his own thread. Finally he was left with the angry red welt in the center of Jacks ribcage where he’d been struck by that wannabe. Once again he stroked his beard as he pondered. Would this count as fire as well? Could he move electricity?  
He gingerly touched the edge of the wound and Jack jerked in his sleep. Aku ignored Jacks silent protest as he repeated the process he had used on the fever. Jack struggled even as Aku pulled his hand away once again. His own body shook with concentration as he pulled, he could feel a terrible heat just beneath the wound and as he slowly removed it, the vein like bruising coiling out over Jacks chest began to dissipate. Aku growled in frustration as he struggled to remove the mark.  
A red light formed slowly over the wound like a mist and Jacks breathing began to quicken harshly. His eyes fluttered. Aku pulled one last time and the red light burst forth and shot upwards, straight into his hand. He screamed in surprise, falling over a stack of towels that he had forgotten were behind him.  
“What! What! What is it!?” Jack cried out, looking all around the room in confusion.  
Aku ground his teeth in frustration.

“Wh…,” Jack murmured confusedly,  
Aku shoved the towels out of the way and slowly sat up, rubbing his right hand with his left.  
Aku heard the shuffling of blankets and looked up at Jack who had pulled the sheets over himself.  
“Where am I? Who are you?”  
Aku blinked and tried not to smile. He waited.  
“And.. why did you help me?”  
Ah, there it was.  
Aku smiled coyly, “I found you in the jungle, dying.”  
Jack blinked, “Yes, but where am I now?”  
“In the mountains just north. Well, very north.”  
Jack balked, “Thank you,” he said again, albeit wearily. “But I-“  
Aku stood up, “You seem well enough then, I shall leave you now.”  
Aku walked towards the door, still smiling to himself.  
“Wait!” Jack tried to stand, forgetting his ribs and fell painfully to the floor, tangled in the bedsheet he’d brought over himself.  
Aku smiled down at him, watching him struggle for a moment more before turning and walking out. He strode calmly down the hallway, still able to hear the samurai struggle to his feet. It would take him a while to figure out where his clothes were hidden. It would probably take him longer to figure out that he had hidden the sword up on the ceiling fan and then get it down. He’d be literal worlds away by then.  
“Wait !” The man tried one last time, but Aku was already on the elevator down and Jack couldn’t leave his room.  
He laughed to himself, assured he’d hate himself again later. Just as he did the last time he saved Jack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if I misspelled anything XD
> 
> I hope you liked it.


	3. Not so strange Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding Aku is easier than expected, but maybe he should have waited for his ribs to heal.

Jack limped down the hallway and into the elevator, hitting the first floor button. He hugged his arms around his chest. He’d re-bandaged his ribs again to give them more support but it still hurt to walk. His curiosity burned hotter than the pain right now though. He’d been so bent on getting to the lobby that he’d forgotten his shoes. He noticed when he was nearly at floor 1. It didn’t stop him from continuing his limp all the way to the front desk.

“Excuse me?” he asked in a croaky voice, the woman at the front desk spun her chair to look at him.  
“Yes, sir?”   
“Did you happen to see a tall man in all black leave here a few hours ago?”  
The girl smiled at him, “Yes, he told us to give you your key when you came down. Are you feeling better, sir?”  
Jack blinked, “Uhm, yes.. Uh, thank you.”  
The lady handed him a keycard, which he inspected for a second before looking at her again.  
“Do you know if he is coming back?”  
“No, Sir, I don’t. He didn’t give us any contact information. He never does when he comes here. I don’t even know his name. I suppose that means.. you don’t know it either?”  
Jack shook his head.  
“Ah, that’s okay. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be nosy. He’s just an odd man.”  
“Why is that?”  
“Ah..” the girl looked back and forth to check that the lobby was empty of eavesdroppers. “Whenever he comes here, he pays upfront in cash, checks in as unlisted and never tells us anything. He comes here, well, not often, but I’ve worked here for almost three years and I’ve seen him a few times. Never once have I heard him give a name. Actually this is the first time I’ve seen him with anyone else. I thought you were, you know, his friend.”   
Jack shrugged confusedly, “He helped me, but he didn’t tell me anything either.”  
The girl looked mildly disappointed but she smiled at Jack anyway, “Well…Your room’s been paid for for a few weeks, you can eat whenever you want in the restaurant on level 3.”  
Jack blinked, “Weeks?”  
“Yes,” she agreed, “Let me check for you,” she pulled out a book that lit up when she turned the pages, and after clicking on the screen pages she tapped her finger down on a box and read, “Four weeks. Already paid for. Full service and everything. Please let us know if you need anything. Anything at all.”  
“Uh, yes, thank you, I will…” Jack stepped back for a moment before an idea shot through his mind and he leaned in closer again. “May I ask something of you?” whispering conspiratorially.   
The girl drew closer excitedly, “Of course sir,”  
“You have security cameras in the halls and the lobby, yes?”  
“You want a picture of your mysterious friend?” she asked, her eyebrows raised.   
He nodded.  
She thought for a moment before nodding to herself, “I don’t usually do this kind of thing but,”  
Jack must have looked incredulous because she giggled.  
“I, uh,” she laughed awkwardly, “Must seem like a gossip, it’s not that, it’s just, I recognized you.” She peered around the room one more time. “You’re Samurai Jack?” She mouthed. His look of surprise gave him away. “You saved my family once, you probably don’t remember. They never got a chance to thank you, you ran from those drones so fast… Anyway, anything you need, Mr. Room 706.”  
Jack watched her click through her computer book for another moment before pulling out a small rectangular stick that she plugged into the side of it. After another moment she pulled it back out and held it up to him.   
“You can plug this into your TV and use the remote to look through the video. I hope you find what you’re looking for. Thank you, Mr. Room 706.”  
He smiled, “Of course, any time, Miss B-baar?” he tried, reading the name tag on her vest.  
She laughed, “Yes, perfect.”

Back in his room, he plugged the little stick into his TV monitor and played with the remote until it showed security footage. He watched the strange man walk through the front doors alone, and paused. The video let him zoom in. In his un-inebriated state, he could actually look at the mans face. He was… exactly as he remembered. Jack sat back against the side of his bed on the floor where he’d spread out several boxes of food and put the monitor in front of him. Truly, Jack had expected him to look different in real life. Or, video life, whatever this counted as. He turned the video back on and sorted through his food, the hotel staff must have been bored because they were thrilled when he had come to see them and even more thrilled when they took his keycard and saw he had ‘open bar’. Jack hadn’t wanted any alcohol but they had sent him up with several types of tea, two cold ginger sodas and the boxes of food which included; cleaned and cut vegetables to be dipped in hummus, more steamed vegetables, toasted and buttered rolls, multi continental fruits, and dark chocolate bites. One particularly crowded box had been stuffed to the brim with freshly caught fish, shellfish, and noodles in a garlic sauce and came with a ‘mushroom salad’ was the first thing to be attacked. Jack knew it would take him hours or more to finish all the food. But he intended to eat it all. They had an icebox in the room if he needed it, besides he desperately needed to rest and regain his strength. Then maybe he could track down the stranger. Or just return to his quest.   
He found it difficult to eat slowly, the food they had given him was extremely well made and he was absolutely starving. The ginger soda, which he had first thought he would dislike turned out to be one of his new favorite drinks. It wasn’t a lot of sugar as he had expected, and the combination of ginger and seltzer was helping ease his stomach.  
Jack ate his seafood in silence as he watched for the stranger to walk through his hallway. He knew the moment he opened the door because of the smirk on his face. He paused it and zoomed in again. The stranger was watching him and *smirking*. Jack remembered being tangled in the sheets and felt his face go red. This stranger had found him in a disgusting state, filthy and dying in the jungle, then helped him here. He’d seen him naked—Jack knew since he’d woken up with no clothes on, just lots of bandages. Then he’d made a fool of himself trying to follow him out the door. He felt confused by his own embarrassment. He would never judge someone in the same state he had been in, never find their pain to be something shameful. Yet here he was, red cheeked, staring at the smirking face of the stranger.

The next thing he knew, he was slumped on the floor, covered in blankets, staring out the huge window. The sun was rising, creating a beautiful pattern of color over the peaks of ice and snow. He stretched himself out slowly and climbed back into the bed, watching the window as he did. The image made him think of ink paintings he’d once seen, it would be nice to paint this, if he knew how to do such things. They would not be able to capture the colors exactly, maybe not even the shape, but it would help him remember this moment. This one particularly beautiful sunrise.   
The buzzing of spaceships flying back and forth didn’t bother him, they stayed high above the range of regular birds, and reminded him of all the life that was still here. He wondered how he might paint such things if he could paint… A soreness overtook his chest and he tried to breath it away. Home was still far from here. The culture, the food, the art and the language, he missed them all. And he missed the people who lived it with him.   
The stranger spoke Japanese. The stranger *was* Japanese.  
Jack sat up straight, his brows furrowing. He turned his head to the screen again, the monitor was still displaying that smirking face. 

“Where am I? Who are you?” Jack remembered yelling, the pain in his body making him feel vulnerable. Jack was on the defense. The stranger didn’t seem bothered or even surprised by the outburst. He just.. waited, thinly veiled amusement in his glassy green eyes.   
“And.. why did you help me?”  
Then the stranger did smile, “I found you in the jungle, dying.”  
Jack blinked, “Yes, but where am I now?”  
“In the mountains just north. Well, very north.”

That accent. 

*Jack felt the headache hit like a crack to his skull as he came back to the present.*  
“It is not possible,” he mumbled.   
He stood, unaware of his ribs, and knelt in front of the monitor. Face to face with the stranger. There was a terrible pressure in his mind, the resistance to an idea, an idea that was completely crazy. Unreasonable! But something in him absolutely *insisted*…   
Jacks lips parted, and he touched his chin, where just a few days ago he was bleeding all over the ground. *How did the stranger find me? So far away? So hidden?* he thought. 

*Another crack to the skull as he recalled the war cry:*

YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM ME. I CAN SMELL YOUR BLOOD.

The stranger had leaned in close to him rising from the darkness in a blur that he’d thought was from his fever and yet Jack remembered his face perfectly. He had placed freezing hands on his face. Perhaps he had no heartbeat, no pulse. Jack stared into the devious green eyes and the pale-green skin on the monitor and felt his mouth fall open. 

You cannot die here, Fool!

Jack fell away from the monitor, gasping with dizziness. The familiar accent. He closed his eyes and listened to the voice again, softened as it may have been, he clearly recognized it. 

But it.. didn’t make any sense at all. Why would *he* go to all those lengths to help Jack?   
Jack knew he was quite ignorant of all the modern day cultures and customs. He knew that people would do things he did not understand, but, he didn’t think of himself as gullible. Aku had only gotten away with disguising himself once in order to manipulate him and he’d learned from then on to see past the facade. The old man hadn’t fooled him, he’d known right away. Aku always made dramatic entrances, make himself a part of the world he’d created, but this time all he had done was remove Jack from impending death.   
Ikra kept creeping into his mind. He’d been friends with her, even if she was not real. There was a kinship and an instant understanding between them that he’d not felt before or since. Not in this time. The way she had come into his life, ticking all the boxes that made Jack want to trust someone: strong willed, quick witted, independent, and even reliable. Thinking about her made him feel alone. Then it made him feel queazy. How can you miss someone that isn’t real?  
Why did he do this now? What could he possibly be plotting that would require Jack to… Owe him? Trust him? Jack shook his head and gathered himself up.   
Ignoring the pain, he quickly rinsed himself off, tied his sword back and packed his left over food in the wicker box. He took the elevator to the ground floor and slipped out the backdoor. In his hand he was still holding onto the little rectangle that Miss Baar had given him. The tiny device that held either evidence of the impossible or the beginnings of a very convoluted plot. Jack could only think of one thing to do: find Aku.   
From there he wasn’t sure. His mind blanked every time he tried to come up with a reason that saving his life was evil.  
*The longer you live the more you can suffer?* He wondered. *That doesn’t seem like him.* 

The world outside was cold. There were mostly empty carriages moving to and from the hotel and he stepped in the first one that stopped in front of him. He fiddled with the idly rectangle and tried to focus on his breathing. Calmness and then a plan.   
Finding Aku was impossible… If that were an easy thing to do he would have done it years ago. Jack wondered if there was some way to lure him out, but trying to goad him into a fight seemed unwise considering his injuries. He paused and gently touched a rib, it still burned. Perhaps if he went back to the hotel he could rest there and wait for the stranger to come back. If he ever did. If he really was Aku though? What would he do?  
Jack leaned against the carriage and stared down at the snowy banks. It was miles to the bottom, and the sky was still glorious shades of violet and orange.   
He could get captured on purpose since his goal was to get to Aku. They would do the work for him. But the idea of being trapped in a cage made him grind his teeth. He could follow them?   
Yes, he could follow the signs of Aku’s minions until he found the source. Though who knew how many eons it would take since the castle could move. He slid down to the floor of the carriage and closed his eyes, the cold felt nice on his aching body.

Something was crackling ahead of him and he snapped his head up. Unsure once again how long he’d been asleep he chose to slowly stretch out his limbs before peering out to see the source of the noise. He hoped it wasn’t electrical, being stuck out here would not be ideal.   
He looked over the wires and saw nothing. The carriage was still moving down and the sun seemed to be setting. Jack blinked and looked up at the sky, how could he have slept that long? He’d left so early! No, the sky hadn’t changed color. Something was *in* the sky. Sudden fear overcame him as he watched the distant lightning racing between the clouds, burning the ozone a fiery red and creating the crackling that echoed off the sides of the mountain pass. Jack quickly sat back down in the corner of his carriage and pressed himself into a corner. It sounded like there were distant explosions and as he watched the sky blaze, the crackling grew loud as lightning zig zagged above him. Angrily buzzing as it went. 

Jack became aware of something else coming and peered over the side of the carriage once again. A great black shadow had fogged the pine forrest below, concealing the land from the raging storm. Jack slowly stood, eyes wide, as the red lighting rained hell down upon the shadow. The thing barraged it with electric strikes, and shot light down upon it that seemed to make it smoke at the edges. The shadow refused to budge, swirling outward before spiking up into the sky, slicing through several shots directly into the ball of electricity above. The red demon raged, spinning itself around to attack again. Another sound broke over the mountain pass— Aku’s robots. He watched a swarm of them fly directly above and then swing down into the line of fire, shooting their own tiny flames at it.   
Like locusts they filled the sky around the red demon with darkness and the sounds of shots being fired along with the explosions of metal echoed painfully around Jack. He white knuckled the edge of the carriage, staring open mouthed at the scene.   
Even as more and more of the robots came to assist, the red demon only seemed to get angrier and more desperate to get at the darkness. There was a blinding light followed immediately by a deafening sound wave as the robots exploded synchronously. Jack stumbled, and fell on his knees, clasping his hands to his ears. Black smoke rushed through the pass like an avalanche, tainting the mountains grey. Jack dragged himself to his feat again, and watched as the light on the shadow began to burn through it until it finally it was forced to retreat, spiking wildly around the sides of the mountain before shooting beneath the carriages and into the darkness below. The few remaining robots followed, and Jack took the opportunity before he could stop to rationalize it, throwing himself from the carriage and onto one of the robots below. It tumbled midair but only for a moment, as Jack climbed onto its back. 

The drones buzzed as they fell into darkness and Jack braced himself, the blackness was so thick it seemed to him to be a solid wall. Yet they passed through and as they did the world around him became a sea of spiked black stone. Towers rising high into the air like warriors abandoned spears. The castle sat dead center of the crater, flashing softly off and on like some twisted red firefly. Jack saw the smokey outline below him, ricocheting off buildings before arching into the castle and disappearing all together.   
As soon as the beetle was close enough, Jack jumped from its back and onto the roof, running across the jagged ridge board. He leap frogged from building to building, avoiding the eyes of these shady inhabitants.   
Through strange stone malformations, across brutally sharp bridges, and down into the tunnels he went.   
There was a maze because of course there was. Jack sighed and leaned against the wall to breath, his ribs screaming in protest, but just as he shifted his weight he slid forward into the opposite wall, barely catching himself in the process. He looked down at what he’d stepped in and then gawked. Bits of that swirling darkness were coiling around the tunnel like lost souls, slowly dissipating into the air.   
“Is this.. blood?” Jack asked himself quietly. The wisps only followed one tunnel and Jack hurried to follow, the inky trail evaporating even as he did. He unsheathed his sword as he went, sure he was about to run into guards, yet he did not. The wisps grew thicker and darker as he traveled left and right, deep into the underground. Jack slipped once again as he turned a corner, this time hitting his shoulder against the wall. He groaned in aggravation before slowly sitting back up.   
There was a pool here, a smoking, swirling pool of blood. Unable to resist his curiosity, Jack looked down at where he felt his hands on the ground. The blood touching him seemed to dissipate before it even had the opportunity to sink into his gi. He’d never seen anything like it. Around his sword the blackness burned away. He sheathed his sword.

The pool receded around him as he peered forward, but there was only a wall. No more trails to be followed, he sighed and stood upright once again. 

“Patience my lord, please! We need the drones in order to—”

Jack spun around, looking up at the dark pocketed walls. Aku had gone up. Was above hm right now, in the throne room just beyond this wall. 

I have no time for your excuses! Aku raged. 

Jack scoured the wall for a foothold. 

“But, m’mylord—”

Get out. Get out! GET OUT!

A burst of heat let Jack know Aku had set fire to something, though the lack of pained screaming seemed that whoever had been talking to him had escaped in time. Jack struggled to remain quiet as he climbed to a path where he could stand. He chewed his cheek with the effort, and as he reached the top he checked to see if he was alone and then sat down. His whole body was burning, but it was far too late to go back now. Silently he crawled forward and looked down into the painted flame walls that sank into a seemingly endless pit. To the left of him was the rugged throne.   
And on it was Aku. Jack watched as Aku smoothed the edges of his essence with his hands, slowing the trail of black fog that still clung to much of his body. Jack breathed quiet, calming breathes as he watched, he needed to be ready for this moment.

Aku sighed and then snapped his fingers. All around him the openings shut and the tunnel entrances disappeared. Jack jerked his head to the side when he felt the wall behind him pushing him forward. *Oh No.* Was the only thought he managed before he fell.


	4. Time Travel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ah, tragic. ;)

Jack braced himself! Jammed forward by the motion of the wall, he tumbled out of his hiding spot, his back scraped against the ragged wall before he spun towards darkness.

He landed on his hands and knees, much more softly than expected. He bit his cheek in order to keep from screaming as his ribs cried out in pain. Jack slowly opened his eyes, focusing on his hands… which were braced against pitch blackness. A wave of dizziness crashed over his shoulders and he struggled to turn his head to the side as he was lifted up into the air. Just below the surface Jack felt the deep pulsing of live magic. If there were ever a moment that he would have cursed, it would have been now, but Jack just let out a strained breath, slowly sitting upright to wind his arms around his ribs.

He grunted with the effort of not collapsing as pain weighted his core. Only when he’d arranged himself thus did he force his eyes open to search for that impassive owlish gaze. He started, jerking in surprise, when he saw how close Aku was to him. Eyes like flaming dinner plates stared down at the warrior in his hands.

Jack let out another short breath to calm himself, though, the pain in his sides was the only thing that was keeping him from panicking. Aku seemed to be waiting for him to speak- Jack wondered at the fact that he hadn’t already been crushed- but he could think about that later.

“You are injured, Samurai,” Aku drawled,   
Jack chose not to answer, “Aku—” he began,

There was a loud crash somewhere in the distance.  
Aku eyed the direction of the noise. Jack twitched in fear when Aku’s fingers moved beside him, but once again Aku seemed very distracted. He looked down at Jack again before curling his claws over over him and sinking his hand down into the abyss. Jack jumped in surprise, grasping the nearest finger as they rapidly descended. If it were not for the red glow of the flaming walls they would have stopped in complete darkness. Aku tilted him towards the ground. Jack wordlessly climbed out of his palm and staggered back a few feet.   
Another loud crash echoed through the flame adorned chamber.

Aku wound down the wall, shrinking down to a human size. (Still quite a bit taller than Jack, but no longer a giant.) Jack stood tall to face him and paled in confusion when Aku walked around him and towards a wall. Jack spun around to watch and realized as his eyes adjusted to the dim light that there were several more tunnel entrances. Aku glances backwards at Jack before continuing down the darkened path. Jack hurried after him, rushing to stand just short of beside him.  
“Is that the red demon?” Jack asked in a hushed voice and received a disdainful glance from his companion.  
“That is Nebula, yes.”  
Jack blinked in surprise.“Why is it after you? Does it not belong to—”  
“Nebula is no beast nor servant of mine, Samurai!” Aku hissed.   
Jack continued to follow as Aku pursued his unstated destination, staying quiet as they walked on. Aku had yet to try and stop him.   
The sounds of destruction seeming further and further away. The tunnel was decorated with the same flame patterns and seemed to glow ominously, the only light besides Aku’s fire.   
Aku suddenly froze, his form shivered at the edges and he grasped his right arm with his left. Jack stopped a few feet away, struggling to see in the dimness. He moved to stand before Aku, motioning to his arm.  
“Is that the red— Is that Nebula’s lightning?”  
Aku growled before looking away. Jack noted the black smoke trailing around his heels, barely visible. “Why do you not just run away?”  
Aku’s eyes snapped back onto Jack and he growled more menacingly but Jack didn’t budge. ,  
“Just move through a portal,” Jack suggested, “become a shadow, or disappear,”  
Aku snorted.  
“Why not?”  
“My magic is drained,” he said simply and offered no other explanation.   
Jack looked him up and down with morbid curiosity, “Then.. transform?”   
Aku eyed him suspiciously.  
“Do you want to die here?” Jack asked in a more gentle voice, though his expression remained serious. Aku shifted quickly in the darkness and for a moment Jack thought he had disappeared before a form appeared once more.   
“So it was you.” Jack said to the stranger, who now stood before him, still clutching his arm as Aku had been doing. He said nothing in response. “Why did you save me?” Jack asked. Aku narrowed his eyes grimacing, “Why did you let that outsider nearly kill you?”   
Jack balked, “Why have you nearly let it kill you?!”  
The strangers expression softened and he looked away.  
“Yes... he is going to kill me.”  
Jack stared, open mouthed, “You will just allow him to kill you?!”  
Aku smiled cruelly, “ah, does that full you with jealousy, Samurai?”  
Jack nearly snarled, “You would leave this world and all its peoples to be destroyed by this .. this imposter?!”  
“If I could kill him samurai, I would have done so.” He squinted at Jack, “What did you think would happen if you killed me then? Will you take my place and rule this planet?”  
“No! I would not—”  
“What did you expect to happen?! Without me there will be nothing left.” Aku sighed, fixing Jack with a cold stare, "Still. I would rather have it be you then that.. as you say, ‘imposter.’”  
Jack stared in mounting disbelief. “I would not kill you now.”

Aku pushed away from the wall, leaning into Jacks space, “Why have you not attacked me, Samurai?” he twitchily inquired.   
Jack stared in confusion, “Because… ”  
“Why do you not take advantage?” Aku insisted, coming closer, eyes wide, “When you know I am wounded? You followed my blood here, didn’t you? Tracked down your prey…”  
Jack felt as if cold water were being poured down his back. “I- I would not, I’m not, it would not be…”  
Aku’s green eyes narrowed, “Come now,” he mumbled, though it still came across as challenging, “Draw your sword and strike me down.”  
Jack stared for a moment before reaching down and drawing the sword. Aku said nothing. Jack stared at the blade in his shivering hand, but no temptation overcame him. He replaced it in his sheath.  
“I cannot,”  
“Why not!?” Aku demanded,  
“I will not!”  
They stared each other down.   
“Me killing you here is no better then you dying because of the red demon.” Jack said quickly.   
Aku pursed his lips and squinted in frustration, “So be it. If you will not do it here,” Aku clawed through the air slowly, as if shredding fabric, to reveal the swirling white and black portal that haunted Jacks waking hours. “Go.” he whispered.  
Jack’s eyes followed the outline of his claws and saw just barely reflected in the light, the pool of smoke forming beneath where Aku stood. “Go. Before I change my mind.”  
He unconsciously stepped forward, looking between Aku and the portal.  
“You are running out of time, Samurai,” Aku told him sternly, “I will not hold this door forever,”  
Jack felt sick, his body was boiling water. Numbly, he drew his sword and lashed out. There was no time for Aku to react, and Jack barely registered the distant cry of pain or the smoke coiling around his sword and dripping down his arm. The portal closed in a flash as Aku recoiled, grasping his formless limb. Jack raised the sword again.  
“How dare you mock me,”

A crackling filled the air around them. 

“Samurai!” Aku gasped, glowering up at Jack. The walls around them began to crumble and the crimson light burned through the cracks. Jack squinted through one of the cracks high in the wall to see the red demon, clawing its way into Aku’s secret lair. The lightning burst through the seams and rained down upon the city below, arcing into impossible shapes, like great vipers that snapped at everything as they coiled round the pointed buildings. Searching.

Jack turned back to Aku, who had drawn himself back up but was leaning tiredly against the dark wall. The mark where the sword had cut into him was already gone, but he still clutched his arm, and Jack suddenly noticed the movement. Not unlike the lightning, grey lines, like veins, crisscrossing over his black etherial skin. Not just on his palm as he had seen earlier but all over his body. Nebula was causing him lasting damage. 

Aku growled at Jack, leaning against the wall and hissing like an injured animal, “Get out.”  
He could hear the screams of Aku’s servants outside, and the beginnings of mechanical destruction growing louder.   
Aku lashed out, clawing into Jacks gi, “Get out!”  
Jack froze. Aku dug his claws into Jacks arm, and he felt the hot rush of blood escaping him. Jack swung the sword out, stopping short of human Akus beard.   
“Come with me” Jack said quickly, “This enemy does not know that you can turn into small forms. Run and hide!”  
Aku snarled slapping Jack’s sword wielding hand away and returning his claws to fingers. “I cannot run anymore,” he hissed, grasping his own arm. “Get out.”  
The panic he had been holding off was churning sickeningly in his gut. “Why can you not run?”  
Aku scowled but Jack only drew closer, matching his expression, “Do not be a coward for once!”  
Aku growled, “I have no more magic energy.”  
Jack blinked, stepping back in shock. But he didn’t have long to think it over, the buildings behind them continued to crumble.   
“Aku!”   
Jack grasped him by his non-injured arm. Aku still stared at the ceiling, so Jack shook him.   
“Snap out of it! Show me the way out.”  
Aku glanced up at the sky one last time before turning on his heels and rushing into the dark maze. 

Out. Out Out. Jack chanted in his mind, focusing on nothing but escaping. Beside him, Aku continuously slowed, each consecutive attempt at hurrying was quickly followed by weak steps and shaky footfalls. Jack grasped him by his false coat and pulled his injured arm over his shoulder, ignoring Akus protests.   
“Just go,” Aku growled darkly, trying to pull away as they turned another corner, “Go,”  
“Quiet!” Jack ordered.  
“How dare you!” Aku hissed before his green eyes went wide in surprise. With sudden strength he shoved Jack across the hall, his arms jerked backwards compulsively and he doubled over, falling to the floor. Aku twitched and shook as currents of red light climbed over his limbs. Jack didn’t know what to do, he watched as Aku struggled soundlessly to scream as he convulsed through the electrical waves. 

The bright light outside subsided and Jack was momentarily blinded in the dark, he held out his sword in the direction that they had come and in the direction the light had come.   
“Samurai Jack,” Nebula said cooly. As Jacks eyes adjusted he saw the outline of a small man with doll-like features that did not match his powerful voice, cruel icy blue eyes and red hair that floated as if in water around his tiny form. Jack stepped back slowly, he could still hear Aku struggling on the ground behind him. “Hero of the people. Have you come here to kill Aku as well?” he asked.   
Something told him not to look directly into Nebula’s eyes. The icy stare reminded Jack of a deep sea fish, lidless and dead, staring into never ending darkness with no purpose in life but to feed.   
He swallowed, “Yes,”   
Nebula curled his fingers as if playing with invisible threads, red electricity climbing up and down his form, threatening to strike anytime.   
“Where is he?”

He could just tell him. He could let the demons fight amongst themselves and escape once more. 

He wouldn't.   
He could tell himself that he had to help because he would never allow any creature to be harmed so brutally, even another demon, or he could tell himself that it was not in defense of Aku at all, it was merely to stop Nebula from progressing in his evil path.   
The most reasonable excuse he could think of, which was hardly reasonable at all, was that this was like watching the sudden dethroning of an alpha predator. Like a wolf being tortured to death in a cage. You cannot punish a thing for being what it is. Maybe.   
But really it was because he didn’t like it. He didn’t want to see Aku die this way, not lying on the ground in agony, not even in battle with the red demon.   
It was… too much. 

“I could not find him,” Jack said and tilted his head down in false defeat. “Perhaps he has run from you again.”

Nebula’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. Not that Jack looked up to see it. He focused his senses on the air around him, measuring the distance between the three of them, feeling the energy of the demons on either side of him.   
“Then you are of no use to me,”  
Jack tensed. Nebula pointed a delicate finger in his direction. Jack was flung to the side. He stared at the hole in the ground where he had just been standing and then looked at Nebula again. Nebula was glaring at something behind him but Jack didn’t dare take his eyes off the red demon.  
“You are no use to me either, Aku.” Nebula said softly to the form behind Jack, “But if it is your wish to die together,”  
Jack held out his sword defensively and closed his eyes, truly not ready for the electrocution; but he could not just stand there and do nothing. He would not run. Aku grasped Jack roughly by the shoulders to push him aside again but Jack refused to budge. He felt the demons cold fingers closing around his wrist in a last ditch attempt to throw Jack off, but he ignored this too. Nebula swatted the air, and the resounding crack seemed to set the air before them alight. Jack braced himself as the impact hit the sword. 

The fire split along the blade and rebounded back onto the red demon. Nebula shrieked in surprise. As the cut burned through his shoulder he burst back into lightning and exploded through the ceiling above, screaming as he came flying for them again. 

Jack screamed, still holding his defensive stance.   
“IF YOU ENJOY THIS FORM SO MUCH,” Screeched Nebula, who was spitting sparks around the edges like static electricity moving across fabric, “THEN DIE IN IT!”   
Nebula, even as his own form became incased in a burning red glow threw his hands out one more time and Jack jerked as the red lightning arched over him and he heard the sounds of Aku falling once more and just like that, there was a crack, and Nebula was gone.


	5. Don't Leave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of a very long day.

Jacks hair was soaking wet and every part of him burned, yet he continued walking, the sinking feeling in his gut pushing him forward. When he arrived in a village he knocked on the first door and asked where he might find somewhere to stay. The terrified tenants had pointed east before shutting and locking their door. Jack was too tired to even confused or offended. He trudged through the mud in the direction given until he found a dingy building that said, “motel”.   
There had been a moment of delirium where he stood in front of the door as if he might be able to ask for a room, before turning away and walking down the outside hall until he found a room he could see from the window was unoccupied. Then he set the body of his companion down gently before breaking the knob, gathering the man in his arms again and limping inside. He placed his companion on the bed and then stacked furniture against the door before going into the bathroom and putting his face under the tap, desperate for clean water.   
Thankfully there were still robes and towels in the room and he quickly cleaned himself off, put his filthy gi in the shower and then stood beside the bed. 

His heart quickened again, green eyes stared at the ceiling, unblinking and lifeless. Jack choked on the sudden rush in his chest, his eyes burning. It took another moment to calm himself before he leaned down and tried to listen for breathing. He couldn’t hear anything. Jack knelt beside the bed, taking the pale greenish wrist into his own hands. Red heat rushed between his ears and before his eyes.  
“I hate you,” he whispered, glancing back up to the dull green eyes and grey lips. “I hate you!”   
Jack dropped the wrist and turned around, pushing his fingertips into his skull.

“You destroyed my home,” he whispered, “You crushed the people, enslaved the whole world, and now you just… Leave me here?” Jack’s lips quivered and he crossed his arms. He paced back and forth in the small room. “You leave the world in the hands of that monster, who may be worse than you. If I cannot go home?” he groaned, his sore eyes burning with tears, “If I fail… How am I supposed to escape the red demon?”  
Jack sighed, covering his face with his hands and focused on breathing. His mind wandered tiredly to images of sleeping soundly, of finding something to eat…

“sa..mu…rai..” 

Jack tripped over himself clamoring back over to the bed. He looked down and saw Aku’s eyes move blearily, watering from the extended period of dryness. Jack was dizzy with relief, he leaned against the wall beside the headboard, staring down at Aku who lay twitching. “Samurai Jack,” Aku mumbled deliriously and Jack watched him in confusion, as his eyes circled the room, staring at things Jack couldn’t see.  
“Have you.. come to.. kill me…samurai?” Aku asked in a haze.  
“What?”  
“Why do you not take advantage?” Aku muttered at nothing in particular “When you know I am wounded? You followed my … Tracked down your…”  
He continued mumbling incoherently, continuing the conversation they had hours ago. Jack noticed the sheen of sweat that had begun to form across the mans forehead. Gingerly, he leaned down and put his head to Aku’s chest, listening for something. He didn’t know what to expect, silence? Some sort of rushing?   
Jack jumped back when the sound of beating struck his ears. He stared down at Aku… Human Aku. 

Human Aku appeared to be having some sort of half-awake fever dream, mumbling Jack’s name and twitching his fingers into the blanket underneath him. Jack approached again, unable to stifle his confused mixture of morbid curiosity and overwhelming desire to help someone in distress.   
Jack cleared his throat, “Aku?”   
Green eyes fixated on him immediately and Jack felt the hair on his neck stand on end.  
“Are you.. awake?”  
Aku blinked, apparently still delirious as he struggled to process the man beside him.  
“Aku?”  
Aku sat upright suddenly, struggling to get upwards and tumbled off the other side of the bed. Jack gaped.  
“Aku—”  
“You!” Aku spat, pointing at Jack. Jack slowly rounded the bed. Aku struggled to control his shivering body as he clumsily crawled to the wall. He growled like a cornered animal and Jack stopped. “Where am I!?”  
Jack held up his hands and backed away. He couldn’t find it in himself to answer, he just returned to the opposite wall and slid to the floor, staring at nothing in particular, listening to Aku struggle to get to his feet.   
‘I should tell him to stop moving,’ he thought wearily, ‘he has no idea how much damage his human body has already taken,’. Instead, Jack continued to sit there and watch in fascination as Aku finally managed to get to his feet, wheezing painfully, clawing at the bed frame.   
“Where am I?!” Aku demanded accusatorially. Jack still could not find words. Aku grimaced, slowly spinning as he took in the entire room, his breaths were painfully raw and the longer he stood the more of a cough developed.   
Jack watched as the black fabric covering Aku’s skin was cracked like desert earth, and was flaking like paper at the edges. Aku didn’t seem to notice that with each slight movement more of it fell away.   
“Nebula?” Aku mumbled at Jack, eyes wide but posture much weaker. Jack shook his head.   
Aku seemed to relax for a moment, but his adrenaline must have abandoned him on the spot because his skin seemed to loose any hint of its natural green and he began to struggle to breath. Jack rushed and grabbed hold of Aku’s black jacket, which split into pieces in his hands. He grasped Aku’s upper arm instead, pulling him toward the sink. Aku was too busy clutching his throat to fight back.  
“What are you doing,” he tried to ask as Jack pushed him into the bathroom and over the side of the sink. He turned on the faucet and cupped his calloused hand against the water, pushing it against Aku’s face. Aku struggled for a moment, before finally figuring out what Jack was trying to do. Jack let go when Aku desperately started drinking water himself.   
“Don’t do it too fast,” Jack mumbled, limping just outside the door and sliding back onto the floor, “You will be sick.”  
Aku glared, though Jack did not see, but slowed his drinking anyway. Eventually he too sank to the ground leaning his head against the door. 

Everything burned. The walls seemed alive, he heard the obnoxiously loud hum of cheep lights just outside the pile of furniture he assumed Jack put in front of the only exit, the temperature of the room was too hot and too cold, he was soaked in cold water and he struggled to control any part of himself. Breathing was exhausting. His eyes were sore. The list went on.  
Aku became aware that his hair was sticking to his face. He touched it. Was this some sort of dream?   
Thirsty.  
Yes! That was the word for that awful feeling. He did not remember fevering feeling thirsty before. Aku slowly arranged his shaking limbs in front of himself and looked at his hands. Pale skin, a mans set of hands, with dark fingernails. Oh yes, he’d forgotten that he’d shifted into this body.  
But… No. That did not explain anything. Why was his hair still wet? How were his clothes falling to pieces around him? Why did he ache in ways he’d never felt before?  
He sighed, shifting back into his regular form.  
Nothing happened.   
An irregular raving drum beat against his chest. He pressed his hands to his sternum. Aku’s eyes grew wide with the realization. His hair, his clothes, his body that did not obey his commands to shift, the thirst and what he was fairly sure was hunter… And he had a heartbeat. 

His mind blanked in shock. Jack, who was quietly observing him, met his Aku’s gaze with his own steady stare. Cold icy water was pouring down Aku’s scalp and down his spine, tearing at each bruise and cut that would not heal. Aku’s vision swam and he tried not to focus on the dots forming in his peripherals.   
“Sa-Samurai,” he whispered, trying to focus before he— He didn’t know. Sleep? Faint? Die?   
“Mm?” Jack grumbled.  
“Don’t leave,”   
“What?” Jack answered, more harshly.  
“Don’t… leave.”  
Aku tried to focus on his expression, which he assumed would be angry or even afraid, but all he could really see was a strange blurry outline where Jack’s voice had come from. The walls were shifting about quickly, and he could not right himself as they moved. Aku had a sense for a moment like being in space- unsure if he were right side up or upside down, before he blacked out again. 

Jack gawked at the comment. He was about to argue when Aku’s entire form went slack again, bending awkwardly against the wall. Jack snapped his mouth shut as he internally seethed. At least his eyes were closed this time.   
Don’t leave? Don’t leave. Don't leave!? 

Jack grunted angrily as he picked himself up again, limping over one last time to drag Aku’s wannabe corpse off the ground and replace him on the bed. His clothes were basically gone now, so Jack covered him in a blanket before setting himself in a chair facing the doorway. He heard the soft sound of rain continuing outside and then a soft chorus of crickets.   
The last few days had to be some of the least favorite he could ever remember, but in a strange way he felt much better now. He now knew at least one goal he had to work towards, he knew for the moment that he was safe, and he knew where Aku was, and, that at least for the moment, he was incapable of being a threat.   
Jack curled his legs up into the chair and rested his head. Soon he was completely asleep.


	6. Battle of Wits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aku is mean, Jack is sort of mean but not nearly as much as Aku.

“Do not push it,” Jack said sternly, in the deep emotionless voice he’d developed in the last few days while speaking almost singularly to the creature he hated most in the world.   
Aku gave him a sour look before slowing his walk, falling into pace with Jack. Jack was wearing his gi more loosely than usual, so that they would not chafe against the bandages he’d redone. His hand left hand was resting on the hilt of his sword and he chewed his cheek in a continuous effort to remain stoic. 

After sleeping for nearly 17 hours Aku had woken up, still very confused, and it had taken Jack another several hours to convince Aku to speak to him. He seemed… almost afraid of Jack, as if he spoke he’d break the nonviolent truce that had happened between Nebula and his current state. When Aku finally spoke he bitterly informed Jack that he had no idea what was wrong but it was very difficult to breath.   
Unbeknownst to human Aku, Jack had only slept a solid six hours before putting his gi back on, and leaving Aku asleep in the room. Jack got about a mile before a sickening fear gripped him and he was forced to go back to the room and see if Aku was still asleep. Of course, he was and Jack leaned against the doorway, internally cursing himself for not running while he had the chance. This had happened two more times afterwords with the same results. Eventually Jack found some supplies and brought them back to the room where he waited impatiently for Aku to wake up.   
Jack helped Aku lean against the back of the bed, while being given a look of distain he didn’t think physically possible on another person. Then looked over Aku’s injuries, and he had many. 

Jack felt his shoulders slacken thinking about how many dark purple bruises were littered all over Aku’s body, especially around his chest. Each one perfectly circular with veins crisscrossing all across his pale green skin. Jack distinctly recalled how badly one of those marks had hurt and Aku refused to complain about them or even really acknowledge them, even when Jack helped bandage him. He did complain about needing food and water, which Jack shared with him.   
Aku explained that although he had eaten before, it wasn’t necessary. It was strange to him that he needed to eat ‘so badly’ and that he needed ‘so much’ food to be satisfied.   
Before they left, Jack went out into the village in search of clothing. There were many colorful fabrics there but he felt there was only one color that made sense. Even in this body Jack couldn’t picture him wearing anything but black. Except for his shoes, because the vendor only offered them in white and red. So he brought the red ones back. He left Aku to figure out how to dress himself to gather food as a thank you and apology for using the room without paying. Then Jack had silently set out again and Aku had followed without comment.

Neither of them had even tried to talk about the fact that Aku was human yet. They had camped in a cave, at the edge of a forrest, underneath fallen frees, and once next to a waterfall side by side. They had found food together. Eaten together. Begrudgingly helped one another with bandages, yet, they rarely spoke. They both avoided that conversation. 

Until that unfortunate afternoon. Aku’s minions were marching down a road, making a horrible racket. Jack was unsure at first, if he needed to avoid them or not since Aku had gone ‘missing’. Since they had mostly stayed away from cities Jack did not know if the world was aware of Aku’s predicament. So, he led Aku further into a forested area, through a peaceful meadow and promptly into a trap. Aku screamed in surprise as he was yanked off the ground and into the trees. Jack whipped his sword from his side and scanned their surroundings.   
“What-GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!” Aku yelled from the canopy. But Jack did not respond. He was listening for a slight buzzing.   
He heard it.  
It was faint.   
A buzzing shot out of the greenery straight at Jack who slashed once, sending black oil in all directions as it collapsed. He spared only a moment to notice that this robot was covered in thick moss, which is why he did not see it earlier. Two more came from behind him and one straight out of the woods. They hissed horribly as they flew. He waited for a few seconds. He jumped, and they exploded just beneath the tree. Jack froze on his branch, sword held out at his side, listening to the woods. After a pause, the sounds of nature nervously began to come back and Jack relaxed slightly. The sound of a rope swaying in the wind caught his attention and he glanced to the left. Aku was hanging at an awkward angle, his right ankle and left leg were tied at the top of the net he was draped in. He was staring at Jack, arms hanging slack, as he slowly spinning with the wind.   
Jack smiled and Aku glowered. He couldn’t help but laugh as he put his sword away. the indignant look in Aku’s eyes was too much.   
“They did not recognize you, O Mighty Aku,” Jack said savagely, still smiling. Aku’s lip twitched and Jack was ready for him to scream.  
“Yes, yes, I noticed.” Aku grumbled. He waited until his spin brought allowed him to see Jack again before he added, “You must be feeling better.”  
Jack tilted his head in confusion, and as Aku began to spin away again, he looked for the bottom of the rope.   
“What does that mean?” Jack asked, spotting his target and climbing down the side of the tree.  
“You were quite slow in the fortress,”  
Jack paused to look up at Aku, “My ribs were broken and I had-”  
“Had been electrocuted,”   
“-been hit by lightning. Yes. My ribs are getting better.” Jack hopped off the last branch and cut the rope.   
Aku yelled in surprise as he was dropped. For a moment Jack thought about just letting him fall but at the last moment he reached out and grasped him in the net, and set him on the ground.   
Aku groaned, pushing the nets off slowly.  
“You are still in pain,” Jack stated. Aku pulled the nets back over his shoulders and then reached down to untie his legs.  
“…I am,” he began, sounding like he might argue, but he stopped himself, gritting his teeth. “I am.”  
Jack crouched beside him and grasped him by the shoulder, saying, “Hold still,”  
Aku cringed at the sight of Jack’s sword so close to him, but Jack sliced through the ropes and pulled them off. Aku crossed his legs and sighed. Jack sat across from him, replacing his sword.   
“May I ask you a question?”   
Aku frowned, running his fingers through his beard, “What?”  
“Why did you save me? You said it was because I nearly let Nebula kill me, but, why would you care how I died?”  
Aku rolled his eyes and chewed his lip. Jack tried to sit still. After watching Aku’s shifty expression become slowly shifty-er, Jack tried again:  
“You did this once before,”  
Aku blinked,  
“Ikra…” Jack said, swallowing the sudden guilty discomfort, “She- you.. Pulled me out of the quicksand. You did not have to do that.”  
“If I had let you die then I would not have found the crystal.”  
“Yet, that whole endeavor would be meaningless if I were already dead.”  
Jack waited for Aku to scoff. Argue. He was ready for it, almost hoping for some sort of twisted normality in this convoluted situation.   
Aku chuckled lightly and then laughed, laughed wildly. Then he laughed raucously, euphorically, until the laughter finally faded away.  
Jack leaned away, gripping his sword.  
“I want to be the reason you die.”  
“Is that it?”   
“Oh yes,” Aku agreed, theatrically throwing out his arms, “I really want to be there to watch the life drained from your terrified eyes,” he said in a voice filled with such sweet ecstasy that Jack felt his stomach turn.   
Jack turned away and sighed, “Liar.”  
Aku glared at him sideways.  
“You could have done that in the quicksand. You could have let Nebula kill me while defending yourself. You did not have to try and stop me from defending us from him.”  
Aku’s malicious expression became owlish as he pondered this.  
“You… You don’t know why you did it. Do you?”  
Aku rolled his eyes, “Of course I do.”  
“Did you actually try to send me home?”  
“No,” Aku said quickly, “I was trying to set you up.”  
Jack leaned forward and grasped Aku’s arm. Aku growled.  
“You used the last of your magic trying to send me somewhere… Not trying to escape. You didn’t crush me when I fell into your lair, you saved me from Nebula’s lightning, and now you are trapped in this human body. Because you wanted to help me.” Jack leaned into Aku’s space, glowering, “Tell. Me. Why.”  
Aku yanked his arm away and eyed Jacks sword. He stood up and brushed himself off.  
“We were walking, we were going to-”  
“Do not change the subject!” Jack protested, standing in front of him.   
“You saved my life as well,” he whispered, “I supposed you are going to blame that the purity of your heart? Or in order to pay back my saving you, so that we are even?”  
Jack blinked, “I could not just—”  
“You did not want to kill me!” Aku spat, “What would you do without me?”  
Jack raised his eyebrows and gaped, “What?”  
“Even you must admit, Sa-mu-rai,” He hissed softly, “You would be nothing without me. If you mange to go back into the past and destroy me, reality as you know it, and all your little friends will cease to exist. You will live the rest of your average mortal life knowing that they no longer exist because of your decisions.”  
“The souls of all the people who exist in this world you have created will be replaced into better lives! Lives they should have had in the first place!”  
“You say that with such confidence. I can hear that you truly believe it.” said Aku impassively. Jack grimaced.   
“Assuming you are correct,” Aku continued, “Who will you be without me?”  
Jack scoffed and then smiled softly, scanning the contours of Aku’s expression, “I will be a man, and I will live the rest of my life in peace.”  
Aku’s answering smile was sinister.   
“Why do you smile at me like that ?”  
“I wonder how content you will be living life as a regular mortal. Did your parents ever give you time to learn how to live life? Between training to kill Aku, that is.”   
“Of course! Even as I traveled I learned about the world. I learned about history, maths, language, and art, amongst other things…”  
Aku continued to smile, “All of which you have employed quite expertly to your sole purpose: destroying me.”   
Jack felt heat rushing to his face. “You cannot imagine existing without everyone around you fearing your or worshiping you. In fact, you can’t imagine being dead without everyone fearing or worshiping you.”   
“True,” Aku agreed but still did not look bothered. His attitude was becoming increasingly intolerable.   
“What is making you smile?” Jack demanded, leaning into Aku’s space.   
“I did not kill you because I do not want to be bored.” he said darkly. Jack clenched his fists tightly.   
“You-” Jack, shivered, clenching his teeth, “I will go back in time and I will defeat you!”  
Aku laughed again, “Is that all you know how to say? Can you even think for yourself?”  
“I can!” Jack growled but before he could argue again Aku grasped him by the shoulder. Jack had his sword to Aku’s neck before he could retaliate, but Aku did not move away. He only smiled.   
“I did not kill you, Samurai Jack, because there is no greater worship than true hatred. A hatred raised from childhood and nurtured its entire life within a host who knows nothing else… Your people called themselves “pure”, and yet they see me, something outside their natural order as having a right and a wrong. Their response?”  
Jack shivered where he stood, unable to look away from the sparkling green eyes.  
“They trade one human life away, no better than a sacrifice to a vicious deity. And you are just that, aren’t you? You gave your childhood, adolescence, and now adulthood away in order to make them feel safe. You are their sacrifice, their gift.. to me.”  
Jack kicked Aku in the center of his chest. As he coiled in from the impact, Aku nicked his chin against the sword and then flew backwards into a bush. Jack gripped his sword in his hand.   
Aku groaned as he turned himself to the side and pulled himself out of the weeds, face bleeding, body aching, still glaring sadistically at Jack.   
“Tell me how to defeat Nebula,” Jack said, watching Aku like a hawk, sword ready.   
Aku sputtered, wiping his mouth on his sleeve, “If I knew that, I would not be taking this abuse from you!”  
“I am not your plaything, I am not falling for your mind games, and I am finished showing you mercy that you do not deserve! Tell me how to defeat Nebula!”  
Aku glowered and then ran his fingers through his beard once more. Jack remained ready to strike.  
“You managed send back the lightning with your sword, perhaps you can defeat him.” Aku muttered, more to himself than to Jack.   
Jack remembered the moment, but he also remembered, “That only happened once. I can block some of the lightning but I have only ever injured the red demon once,”  
Aku stared at him.  
“You remember it?”  
“In the chambers beneath the fortress,”  
“Yes.”  
Aku sighed again. Jack watched him thoughtfully pull at his beard again, apparently an unconscious tick. Aku slowly placed his hands on the ground, his eyes growing wide again, before a look of concern began to replace it.  
“What? What is it?”  
“It is… impossible.”


	7. Voices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aku talks to the voices in his head.

Aku opened his eyes slowly, he was still heavy with sleep, but he sensed he needed to pay attention. He had adjusted to the darkness hours ago, the waxing moon above was casting muted light over the treetops and made Jacks white gi glow ghostly white. Jack was combing through his hair, carefully trying to pin it back. 

\--

“I do not know!” He had yelled, hours ago, when Jack was still pointing that sword at him. “When I touched you somehow you managed to do damage—”  
“What are you trying to say?” Jack asked with uncharacteristic impatience. Aku growled.  
“Nothing! I do not understand it myself.”

\--

There was his woven hat waiting by his side, a small package of the food, and the satchel of water. Jack experimentally shook his hair to be sure it was properly secured and then took a moment to check if his sword was also properly attached.  
Aku let out a soft sigh and rolled onto his other side, he knew Jack was now staring at him but he didn’t say anything. 

\--  
Once Jack had put his sword away, the spell of peace had been broken. Though Jack didn’t outright attack Aku, he knew that given the change to do so… He most likely would. So Aku said nothing, he watched Jack settle himself under a tree to rest and set up a fire himself. Aku wasn’t sure how long he had sat there, staring at the circle of stones and the pile of sticks, willing himself to move fire. Once again, nothing happened. Aku sat back and flexed his fingers, wondering if he could shift now knowing he couldn’t… trying again anyway.  
He looked up at the tired “tch”, he’d heard and saw Jack staring at him with a rather unsympathetic expression. Aku glowered, but Jack took a small box out of the bag their supplies were in.  
Aku was not happy when he saw that they were matches, but he used them anyway. He adjusted his shoe. When Jack had gone off to find these supplies Aku had stolen a few items himself, including the small knife that he’d hidden in his shoe.  
“You still cannot use your powers?” Jack asked after the fire had steadied.  
“Obviously…” Aku said through gritted teeth. 

\--

He would not stoop so low as to try and stop him from leaving. That would make him look weak, and even worse, it might force him to admit that he felt weak. So he lay still, listening to the sounds of Jack gathering himself together.  
Soft clicking as he left let Aku know when Jack had finally left. Aku drew his hands through his hair in frustration when he was sure Jack had gone far enough not to notice. He sat up and glanced over at the spot Jack had just vacated and glowered, crossing his arms over his knees. There was no way he’d be able to rest now. So he braced himself to wait for dawn. 

Once the sun was high enough for Aku to properly see his surroundings, he took inventory of the food and supplies, which were never much to begin with and now had been halved. Then he went to set a trap. All he could think about was food, all day, every day, and he wasn’t sure anything had ever been so infuriating in all his eons of life. 

He knew from observation how to hunt and trap, even how to cook, but he wasn’t sure he’d be able to do it. It had been over ten days and his body still ached terribly, in fact, some of the bruises and cuts seem to hurt worse than they had initially. With the stolen knife he sharpened several small sticks and began to set up a funnel. Much to his surprise, about an hour into his endeavor he startled a rabbit.  
In a moment that was purely Aku he used the stick as a weapon to kill the small animal. The shrill cry of pain and startled him for a moment. He watched the death in fascination. Then carried it back to the camping spot.  
He went over the steps, fist you skin it? and then you cook it? 

His mind blanked and he was accosted by a fit of giggles, he lay against a fallen tree and laughed joyously, staring up into the sky.  
Why should hunting a small mammal be difficult for Aku? Even trapped in a human body he was a hunter, a natural killer, the top predator. He marveled at the thoughts that had been spinning around in his mind only a few hours ago, wondering how he would eat, how he might survive this time until his powers returned to him.  
Now, as he lay, completely relaxed against the tree, enjoying the feeling of wind on his face and the sweet smell of fresh blood in the air the past few days... the past few months even, seemed completely ridiculous. No one had crushed his spirit thus far, and even if he lost battles on the way, he knew that he, Aku, would inevitably win the war.  
Aku was not without his goals, his plans or his wits. He was only temporarily without his powers. As he watched soft clouds floating past he pondered what was to come. What was the way to kill Nebula? There had to be a way. He had to have a weakness. 

Aku spent the rest of the afternoon trying to build a small shelter out of fallen sticks which he was far less successful at then he’d been at cooking the rabbit. He sat beneath the porous roof as the clouds grew thicker and rain began to fall. His hair stuck to his face, but at least he wasn’t hungry anymore. He closed his eyes and listened to the animals around him, quietly talking to one another. The senses he currently had access to seemed incredibly limited compared with what he was used to. He didn’t envy humans, at least not for this. The rain came down harder and soon his ‘floor’ was reduced to mud so he walked out into the rain, shaking his hair out of his eyes, looking up at the blue lightning streaking across the sky. It was cold, but he could ignore his stiff fingers for the icy relief he felt as he was soaked through his clothes and bandages. 

What would we be doing if he had not left? Would Jack like to stand in the rain?  
The sudden thought surprised him. He shook his head.  
“No,” he said to the voice, “He would probably find somewhere to be dry,”  
Then is that not what you are supposed to do?  
Aku laughed. It had been quite a while since he’d had a conversation with himself. Yes, he thought, and even spoke out loud to himself fairly frequently. But every once in a while, he would be quiet for too long and the voice would seem to take on a mind of its own. As if it couldn’t stand the quietness.  
Aku scratched his chin and flinched when he touched the cut, “Why does that matter?”  
Will you stay in these woods forever, chasing rabbits? If you do not die of pneumonia in your current mortal coil?  
“Just until I get my powers back. Then I shall rebuild the fortress and kill Nebula.”  
What about the Samurai?  
“What about him?”  
The voice was painfully quiet and Aku realized he was shivering. He looked idly to see if any of the trees might make for better protection.  
You do not know when or if your powers will come back to you.  
“They will!” he growled, pacing around the small clearing.  
Nebula will find you here before that happens.  
“Then I must find a way to kill him before that,”  
How?  
“I do not know yet…”  
The only reason you are not yet dead is because you were faster than him.  
Aku closed his eyes and groaned, tilting his head back in the rain.  
You know what it takes to do damage to whatever you are.  
“Enchanted weapons.”  
Yes. But Jack is too slow to use it on Nebula. There is only one creature faster. Well… there was.  
Aku sighed and pulled the box of matches out of his coat pocket. They were completely dry. Aku quietly observed the wax coating the paper box they were packed away in before replacing them in his pocket.  
“It is impossible,” Aku began pacing once again. At least it was slightly warmer that way.  
So you will do nothing? O Shape Shifting Master of Darkness?  
Aku hissed, swatting at nothing in particular. “Why must you speak to me now?”

Aku waited for the voice to answer. There was nothing, his stomach turned and he sat on the fallen tree, putting his head in his hands and twitching his leg up and down.  
The silence was so loud.  
The silence had been loud just before Jack had literally fallen into his hands as well. He had been screaming to be left alone because their presence only had the effect of making him feel absolutely cut off. Like a distant star, close to absolutely nothing, unrelatable, desperately burning through their own fire just to keep the cold of the universe away.  
In truth, in the moment, he had meant to wait for Nebula to show up. Maybe to question him, as Jack had done to Aku, and fight. Probably to the death. He may be fast, but he was tired of running. He liked fighting. At least death would be warm.  
But instead, Jack had followed him, all the way down into the throne room and all Aku had been able to think was; You cannot die here. Nebula would burn through his world as if it were meaningless. He would remove the Samurai from Aku’s life, and he just could not stand it anymore.  
Standing next to Jack, moving towards something together, reminded him of the desert. He imagined, through the sheets of rain, the feeling of running on sand, of that expression on Jacks face, and of being Ikra. The end of that adventure had really been a shame, over much too fast. Pretending to be Jacks friend had been fun, and so easy, he’d been ready for more of a challenge. Besides being in that particular form though, he hadn’t acted that differently from his regular self. He smiled at the thought.  
His eyes followed the direction that the Samurai had gone the night before. The rain left no footprints. Footprints he now wished he’d followed. 

Aku struggled to light a fire once the rain had stopped, the leaves and foliage was all still soaked but he had to dry his clothes and himself or he thought he might actually die. He hung them over a branch and though he was still choked with the painful feeling in his chest, plus the physical injuries, he fell asleep. 

Lightheadedness woke him, and he blinked at the bright sun. Had he really slept through the night? He sighed, finding his hair dry and hurried to put his clothes back on, knife back in his shoe, and drink some water. He wanted to see Jack. It didn’t really matter that Jack didn’t want to see him. It never had in the past, why should it now? All he knew was, seeing Jack was what he wanted and since he still did not have his powers, that was what he would do.  
He hurried up the muddy path he was sure Jack had left on and could hardly feel the ache beneath the frantic rush of a desire to pursue this new goal. His excitement allowed him to scale a steep hill, climb up one tree and down another to avoid a small lake full of thorns, and finally onto a smooth hiking trail where he burst into a run. He could see that this was a path people frequently traveled on and that probably meant that there was another town nearby. Maybe even people who would know where Jack had gone.


	8. Fear of Failure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack feels guilty about feeling guilty about feeling guilty.

Jack hadn’t slept. He’d laid on the ground, trying to relax for hours before he just could not take it anymore. It was never his duty to help or protect Aku. He was not an innocent victim. He was not Jacks ally. Jack had left him, still asleep, in the middle of the forest alone.

He regretted that last part. It would have been more polite to at least inform Aku that he was leaving... but he was sure Aku would have argued or even attacked him. Plus, he didn’t want to give Aku the opportunity to follow him. He needed to get back to his quest, if he could go home and destroy Aku before he created this world, then Nebula would not be a problem. Perhaps Nebula wouldn’t even exist. Jack had a sneaking suspicion that Aku knew more about what Nebula was and was unwilling to tell Jack. Perhaps because it put Aku at risk as well. He did not know and he did not care.

Calming his mind turned out to be difficult,. as he walked slowly along a deer trail in the darkness his mind just continued its circle of the past week. He remembered that he had nearly left him that first night so many times... but this time was different. Aku was awake and at least somewhat capable of defending himself. He was doing well enough to feel comfortable stealing when he thought Jack wasn’t paying attention and then hiding the blade in his shoe. Jack hadn’t even tried to say anything. 

Actually, he felt slightly safer knowing he had it. He didn’t think Aku would be foolish enough to try and attack him with a knife, but if he needed it to defend himself from someone else? Or maybe just use it as the tool it was intended to be? Jack was almost okay with it, though he still watched Aku like a hawk afterwards just to make sure he *didn’t* use it on anyone just because he could. 

It was good he had it since he was now alone. Jack rubbed his hand over his face, trying to dispel the thoughts.  
It was time to return to his quest. Seek out a portal and go home. At it it were ever that simple.

Could Aku feel fear for things besides his own life? Even in a human body... Jack wasn’t sure Aku felt anything but a burning desire for destruction and fearsome pleasure from the pain of others. Yet, once again, his mind circling back to the last few days he had been closer to Aku than he’d ever been before. Maybe except for Ikra... in fact, Aku acted quite similarly.  
Jack noticed bemusedly that small animals seemed to run from Aku, but also that Aku seemed to be annoyed by it, like they had insulted him by running. He also noticed with discomfort that this Aku slept on his side in the exact same position that Ikra did.   
Actually they walked in a very similar manor. For a moment the image of this Aku in Ikra’s clothing flashed in his mind and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or feel sick.   
Aku was much more comfortable around Jack, it seemed, then he was around Aku. Before their argument Aku had freely smiled at him (or smirked, really) when he was amused by a comment or something he saw. He asked Jack vague questions about food that he still couldn’t figure out if he shouldn’t have answered.

“What is your favorite food?”  
“I don’t know, I like a lot of food? Fish, maybe.”  
“Do you like sweet food?”  
“Like fruit?”  
“Or candy?”  
Jack had nearly laughed. His enthusiasm about food was so unnervingly innocent. Then again, he could have just been trying to see if he could poison him. That thought was somehow *less* uncomfortable than Aku having a genuine interest in anything Jack liked. 

If they hadn’t had that last conversation... he probably would have stayed. He too was interested in what Aku would do now that he was mostly harmless. At least harmless to Jack. He’d gone so far as to bring Aku different types of fruit to eat, but hadn’t been able to bring himself to tell Aku or even stay and see his reaction. It felt like a violation. 

‘Sacrifice?’ ‘Gift?’ The comments burned in his mind like a firestorm. Did Aku really think that Jack was somehow... acting in some twisted game for Aku to play?

Jack was so busy glaring into space that he tripped over a branch in the dark but managed to right himself before he face planted in mud. 

Aku just... didn’t know why he didn’t kill Jack, so he made those things up. He felt that that was the right answer and yet it just filled him with more questions. If Aku didn’t even know why he hadn’t killed Jack, then what on earth did it all mean?

The sun had barely risen when he realized he’d entered a large square. It was a shopping center with a forest of small locked carts. Since it was probably 5AM he didn’t think there would be too many people out and about. Jack yawned at the thought and continued his leisurely walk onwards. At least it was peaceful for the moment. 

A woman in a long violet cloak over a brightly colored dress was the first person Jack saw out. She was removing long strands of glass needs from a basket and hanging them lovingly over a display bar attached to her cart. A girl hurried past him, lugging several more baskets. They were apparently heavy because she stumbled and whined with the effort.  
“Anah,” the woman scolded, though she was smiling, “I say one at a time for a reason,”   
“But this is faster!” The girl complained. Nearly to the cart, She tumbled and one basket burst open spilling beads in all directions. Jack hurried to help gather them.  
“I’m sorry Mama, I’m sorry,” the girl moaned.  
The mother shook her head, “I think picking up all these beads is more than enough scolding to teach you better,”   
The girl looked at Jack as he stooped to gather some loose beads.  
“You!” She pointed and her mother held out a finger   
“Hush! Keep collecting your beads, do not draw attention.”   
Jack smiled gratefully as he met the mothers gaze.   
The woman was beautiful. He was not sure what race she was or if she was an alien, but she had skin so dark it was nearly blue and green eyes so pale they nearly made the whites look grey. She had an abundance of coiling red hair and Jack had to shake his head to stop from staring.   
“Thank you kind stranger,” the little girl said, holding out the basket for the final handful of beads, “I ... I must tell you that I appreciate everything you do,” she said in a shaking voice.  
Jack felt his ears going red. No matter what he did or however long it took, he did not think he’d ever be able to receive praise without becoming embarrassed.  
“Of course,” Jack said awkwardly, “uh, I mean, you are welcome. It was nothing.”   
“These beads are our livelihood,” the woman said to him as he stood up and brushed the street dust from his gi.  
The beautiful woman smiled, her eyes full of admiration, “Each and every single one is hand made by myself and my lovely daughter here, Anah.” She told him, “Each one is slightly different, and special, though they may all seem alike. Each and every bead matters... and I can see that you value them equally. A rare trait.”   
Jack smiled and resisted the urge to hide behind his hands.   
“Thank you,” he said, smiling at them both. “What brings you outside so early?”  
The girl hopped in excitement, “Today is the first day I will be allowed to help Mama sell our beads! We have just fired the last ones and I am to string the loose glass beads this afternoon to show,” she pointed at the display and Jack smiled.  
“I am very happy for you. They are quite beautiful.”   
The mother grinned, glowing with the compliment. She began to speak when a car drove slowly past the carts just fifty feet or so behind them.   
“Ah, others will arrive shortly to begin the day as well.”  
Jack nodded.  
“I must insist,” the mother said and hurried to the back of her cart, returning with a string of glittering glass beads, “Please, please take them for helping us,”  
Jack held up his hands in protest but she grasped his palm, her face nearly desperate, the daughter peered under her mother’s arm.  
“Those beads are extra special, Mama does not ever sell those, so you must accept them as a gift. She only makes them for our dearest friends.”   
“But—“  
“Do it for me, kind stranger,” the mother insisted, “I made these for you. Do me the honor of taking them and trade them for shelter or food. It is the least I can do,”   
Jack hesitantly closed his fingers over the strand, nodding.  
“Thank you,” the little girl said, grinning.  
“Thank you,” Jack corrected, carefully storing the beads away, “I do have one favor to ask of you?”  
The two beautiful girls lit up at the words.

Just in time for people to begin their sluggish morning routine, Jack followed the girls directions left, left, and then right. Where the buildings became more spread apart and houses covered the flat expanses of land. He saw the tree he was to visit from quite a distance, though if he’d known that was only one tree he would have noticed sooner.   
The tree was at the far end of a gated graveyard, sparsely situated with ancient markers. He paused before he stepped through the gate. Here, the sounds of life permitted the air and just beyond he heard... nothing. Just barely the sound of soft wind. He knew this was where she had meant for him to go and he bowed his head in respect as he entered, listening in awe as the sounds flickered away like shadows by a flame. Jack closed the gate and crossed his arms, taking in the beautiful greenery. Now that he was able to get a closer look, there were markers everywhere, but they were so ancient that many were barely legible. Some had been carefully pieced back together, all of them sat inside a swell of wildflowers and tall grasses. Jack took a deep breath and sighed. 

“Place one on the roots of the great tree, and ask for what you want,” she’d told him.

Jack carefully undid the knot at one end of the strand and one gleaming yellow bead fell into his hand. His eyes traveled up the expanse of the tree and he gazed in awe; what he had first though of as an old oak was in fact blooming with white flowers, apples and lemons, carrying pine cones, and holding the foliage of a hundred different leaves high into the air.

“Welcome,” said a ghostly voice,

Jack’s eyes fell to the base of the tree where he was surprised to see a great skeleton growing up out of the soil within and without the bark as if he’d been sewn into it. 

“I thank you,” Jack said, kneeling before the roots. The skulls eyes gleamed gently in the sunlight. 

“Questions lay heavily upon your heart,” said the skeleton tree. Jack nodded; holding out the yellow bead and setting it down onto a root.  
“Oh, the merchant girls sent you here did they?”   
“Yes. They said that perhaps you could help me,”  
“Perhaps we can. We shall try.”  
“We?” Jack inquired,  
“We, the spirits of this graveyard,” said the skeleton tree, “Long ago we were welcomed by the village to stay on this land. The ancestors of generations past that did not wish to leave their descendants. Those of us who wished to stay, We became the spirits of this graveyard.”  
Jack nodded thoughtfully, he struggled for words.

“Why do you not speak?”  
Jack frowned, “Forgive me. I am seeking a way home. Do you know of a portal?”  
The skeleton tree’s eyes glittered in the sun.   
“I fear… we do not know of any portal.”  
He sighed, nodding, “I see. I thank you for your help,” Jack stood to leave when the tree spoke again.  
“This is not what weighs upon your heart,”  
“It does,” Jack said before he could stop himself. He took in a deep breath.  
“Please, Samurai Jack. Ask us the rest of your questions,”  
Jack knelt again, folding his hands in his lap.  
“I have abandoned…”  
“Aku.” The spirit finished for him and Jack went bug eyed in surprise. “Worry not,” said the spirit, “You are merely a powerful thinker. We see flashes of this ache in your mind. So the great tyrant has been trapped inside a mortal form?”  
“Yes,”  
“Why does this bother you?”  
Jack felt his shoulders sagging, “I do not… He is my enemy. He is evil. I struggle with myself because I want to help him. But I know there is no way to make him see. There is nothing to help.” The spirit remained quiet for a long time. Images flooded his mind: Buildings burning, heard people screaming, and yet he also saw Aku’s human face in the jungle where he had nearly died. Aku looked scared. Angry of course, but scared. The image had triggered thoughts he had never allowed himself to ponder before. “I should be relieved that he is not a threat, I do not understand why I feel this discomfort.”  
“You fear failure. To commit betrayal.”  
Jack felt a chill deep in his core, “Do these thoughts mean I have betrayed my quest?” he asked in a pained whisper.  
“Do you feel that they do?”  
Jack sat up straighter and began rubbing the bridge of his nose between his fingers.  
“If you were to go home, this very instant, would you follow through with your quest?”  
“Of course!”  
“You would slay the demon.” the spirit said slowly. Jack felt constricted on the inside, like he was having the life squeezed out of him. Of course, he would Kill Aku, that was what was right, it was what he had been taught…  
‘A hatred raised from childhood and nurtured its entire life within a host who knows nothing else…’ Never taught how to live.   
Appreciate life yes, but be a part of it? No. Yet all life is worth saving. All life… Jack felt as if he were spinning though he felt his knees in the dirt beneath him.  
“You are right, Good Spirit,” Jack said sorely, “I would spend the rest of my life wondering… if I could have saved him.”  
The spirit’s eyes twinkled once again and Jack sighed.  
“I abandoned him because he angered me. I let him get me to that point, I lost control of myself.”  
“What you shall do now Samurai?”  
Jack felt his lips twitching, “I do not know where this will lead me. I shall try my hardest to save him from himself. But first I must save him from the red demon.”  
“I see,” the spirit said. Jack heard whispering traveling through the trees and grass all around him. They spoke within the wind as it moved lazily from plant to plant, and marker to marker.

“The red demon, as you call it, is an ancient being. It was once known as a Sleeper. Beings that existed before the creation of the world as we know it now. Only this Sleeper has been awakened. He is an unstoppable force, he cannot be completely destroyed, only defeated and sent back to rest.”  
“What awakened him?” Jack asked, immediately imagining someone deep inside one of Aku’s mines breaking into some celestial shell and letting this monstrosity out.   
“It is difficult to say. Possibly he was awoken because of the destruction caused by Aku, sent by the Earth as a desperate reset. Like a plague.”  
Jack nodded.  
“It could also be an imbalance,”  
“Imbalance?”   
“Constant and powerful disruptions of magical energy might have the same consequence of shaking the red demon awake.”  
Jack stared in shock, “Do you mean…”  
“Mortal interference with magic, where the user destroys the source, can sometimes have this effect as well.” The skeleton tree then added, “Or it could simply be a natural occurrence, like weather. Unpredictable.”   
“Yet, I may have contributed to his chaos?”  
“It is possible.”  
Jack stood, “Then I must! I must help send him back to rest! How can I do this?”  
“Your enchanted blade can injure him, temporarily,”  
“When I fought back I was barely able to deflect the red demons lightning—” Jacks eyes grew wide, “Until Aku accidentally helped me,”  
The spirit hummed gravely, “Aku’s speed and strength have never been matched.”  
“Only outsmarted.”  
“Yes,” the spirit agreed, “His powers with your determination and constitution, would be able to give enough energy to use the sword against Nebula.”  
Jack touched the handle of his blade.   
“We must go now, Samurai Jack. We wish you well.”  
Jack watched the wind in the grass go still. He bowed his thanks and looked down at the roots. 

The bead was gone. 

He hid between smaller trees in the graveyard that night to rest, feeling safer than he had in months. Tomorrow he would walk back to where he left his unpleasant companion and apologize. Aku didn’t have to forgive him if he did not want too, but Jack was determined not to let Aku make him so angry again.   
Crickets chirped happily. The moon sent a sleepy glow over the markers.   
Before he fell asleep he wondered if Aku liked any of the fruit he’d brought. Maybe they could find more.


	9. The Shadow Sisters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aku is creepy. Gotta say

A group of people gasped in surprise when he burst through the exit of the trail. Aku gasped and put his hands on his knees.  
“EEn, Air-” Aku mumbled at the confused people.  
“What?” One of the guys asked, “Are you okay? There’s a hospital down the—”  
Aku stood up and grasped him by his jacket collar, yanking him closer. His friends gasped in surprise.  
“Man. Long black hair tied back. All in white. Have you seen him?” Aku demanded.  
“No, no!” The guy said, holding up his hands. His face was pale with fear. Aku let go and rolled his head back.  
“Useless, useless,” he murmured, pushing the stunned group out of the way. 

The trail was still all dirt here, and the group looked like a bunch of teenagers trying to smoke without being caught. Aku walked here instead of running. He wasn’t sure how to find the samurai without using the mirror. Or being able to smell, or see, or hear as he could as a demon. Being human was unhelpful really.   
Just beyond a small grouping of buildings he could hear hustle and bustle. Spices floated through the air.  
Aku slid his hands into his pockets, accepting his fate of having to walk through a large crowd At least having his hands put away would make it more difficult for him to hit someone.   
Ah, Jack would be so proud. If only he hadn’t run away. Aku snarled at the thought and a man walked across the road just to avoid him. He continued to wear his sour expression as he meandered through the various shops and vendors littering the open square. He did elbow one fool in the stomach who was bold enough to scream for his attention right in his ear. Aku didn’t think he’d be able to scream for a few minutes, at least not while he tried to catch his breath.   
A flock of chickens crossed in front of him. A small girl carrying heavy ropes of red clay beads followed, laughing. Cars and busses flooded the slim roads, people hurried back and forth and Aku searched for some sign that he should follow that might lead him back to the samurai. 

He scoffed in surprise.

Jack happily stretched in the sun, The people here were far top busy with their own activities to pay him any mind. Actually he hadn’t even seen any wanted posters here. Maybe he would be able to walk through the whole town without having to hide.  
Then of course, just as he’d thought this, he felt eyes boring into him. He lowered his hat over his face slightly and moved between a few idling groups of shoppers. The eyes remained on him. He paused, ready to bolt, he had to get back to the camp sight, he had to find Aku.

Jack turned to see who was staring at him.

There stood the very demon (currently human) he was looking for, black hair wild, looking very much like he’d run the entire way here. He stared at Jack with those owlish green eyes. He couldn’t help it, Jack laughed softly, shaking his head.   
Aku pointed and Jack squinted in confusion. He made to motion for him to come closer when someone covered his eyes.   
Jack was yanked backwards. He struggled, feeling several more pairs of strong hands on him, pulling him up onto metal. He landed one hit before he was struck on the side of the head. Jack hissed in shock, struggling still, but much more limply. Someone to his right was speaking quickly in an odd clicking language.   
“Let me go!” Jack demanded, yanking one hand away and pushing the thick cloth off his face. There was a hot pain at his left shoulder and his entire body stiffened without his control. A taser. He gritted his teeth but couldn’t move when the woman yanked his sword from his side. “No..” He tried again to move but felt the same painful shock from the other side and fell to the floor.   
“Step on it! Look’s like he’s got friends,” one of them yelled to the driver.   
Jack glanced out at the crowded street and saw a cluster of cars moving in many directions, carts of food, clothing vendors, and Aku shoving a family out of the way as he bolted down between obstacles racing towards the van. Jack looked around the van, saw there were six women, all of whom were dressed in black with red sheer masks. The vehicle shuttered and took off, knocking over a cart full of fruit as it went.   
One of the girls pulled him further into the van, stringing wire around his wrists.   
“Our master will be very pleased when we hand you over,” she told him,  
Jack glanced down and saw Aku rapidly approaching, since they could not pick up much speed on this crowded street. Blearily he had to admit he was impressed. He knew Aku was fast as a demon, but apparently he was always fast.   
Aku was just close enough that Jack could see the determined expression on his face. If only Aku could use his powers now, just to get here fast, that would be helpful. Jack smiled before his head was covered and he was hit once more. 

Aku shoved a man with boxes to the side, and kicked off a cart when it turned into his path. His heart was hammering in his throat, the grey vehicle turned back and forth, trying to loose him.   
“Hey watch it!—” Someone cried as he shoved past another group of shoppers. He caught a glimpse of Jack’s dark eyes watching him before a woman in black robes with a red cloth over her face covered Jack’s head once again. Aku’s heart spiked.   
He knew these women. They worked for him.   
A car whipped around the corner just as Aku was passing and threw him off his feet and over the hood of the car. Aku groaned, sitting up and seeing to his dismay that the van was speeding away now.   
“Hey! What the fuck—Get the hell off my car!”   
Aku growled and climbed steadily off the side of the car. He’d take it. He’d kill the man in the way if he had too, a burning fire was trying to consume him.   
Just before he could say anything back, the man in the car screamed. Aku jumped in surprise, seeing the man staring at his hands he looked at them as well.  
He was on fire. Aku looked at the man again, still screaming, trying to start his car again screeched out of his path.   
“What?” He flexed his fingers and saw the tips sharpen to blackened points, but that was all he could manage.   
Aku shook himself out of the surprise and looked around for the van once again. It was gone. He couldn’t see any part of it. But he knew where it had turned, he wasn’t sure why he knew, but he did. He took a step forward, feeling his body nearly wobbling with the force of his movements. Well, perhaps he could not shape shift, but he did think he could—  
He bolted down the road through the shadows of the buildings and around the corner. His human body protested in horrible waves of dizziness. The rush of plants around him shook from the wind he left behind, he scattered paper, and as he gathered speed, was swallowed by darkness. 

“We are the Sisterhood of the Shadows,” The woman closest to Jack said. Jack sputtered, trying not to breath so heavily through the thick fabric.   
He felt the fabric roughly scratch against his face as it was torn from his head and yelped as it pulled several hairs out with it.  
“Observe your defeat, Samurai,” she said, and jack saw a hint of a smile behind the sheer red fabric.   
“Capturing me is not my defeat.” Jack calmly told her. Normally he would be twice as tense in a situation like this.   
“We will witness your death.”   
“You plan to kill me?” He asked, stubbornly remaining stoic. The women laughed on all sides of him. “No, much better than that.” Said the Shadow sister nearest to him.  
“For us, anyway,” another one said  
“Much worse for you,” teased one more. They all seemed to be smiling at each another. Sharing in some terrible inside joke.  
“You think Aku will allow you to watch me die?” Jack asked softly, giving the closest shadow sister the side eye.  
She scoffed, “Master Aku will give you a slow death. There will be much time for us to enjoy it,” she triumphantly declared. 

A part of him wanted to bait her into arguing with him, but he just felt tired and annoyed. Jack stared at the back door to the van wondering what Aku would do now. This was such an odd feeling, knowing where Aku was when his minions did not. He supposed that Aku could still kill him if they brought him hog tied to their now human master, but he had a hard time picturing it. As many times as Aku had slashed him, stabbed him, clawed him, had him shot, beaten, poisoned, and betrayed... this just felt different. At the moment, Jack wasn’t even Aku’s main enemy. 

Aku had looked so determined to get to Jack as they were kidnapping him... Jack was fairly certain that Aku would be *very angry*, but he didn’t say anything.   
It was good to know that his followers, at least the lower tiers of them that he kept outside his innermost circle, did not know that Aku was ‘missing’. Unfortunately that also meant that his body, alive or not, was still worth a lot of money or and status to whoever thought they could still hand him over to their master. 

Jack half closed his eyes, listening to the clicking language the sister spoke as they debated amongst themselves. He slowly scanned the van and did not see his sword. 

That was a serious problem.

No matter who they were, he could not allow them to keep his blade. He flexed his wrists and ankles, finding them quite secure and the bindings, unfortunately, thin. Thin wire that would cut into him very badly if he tried too hard to wriggle free. 

Jack hissed in protest when they put the bag over his head again and dragged him back out of the van. He heard a heavy metal door open and the transition of footsteps from soft ground to concrete, he smelled the rusty still air and felt the temperature drop as they continued onwards. They walked for quite some time, Jack was so focused on memorizing the sensory details that he did not expect the sudden push. He fell headlong through the air a few feet and managed to scramble into a position that didn’t hit his broken ribs as he hit the stairs, but he was not so lucky as he rolled sideways down at least one flight and stopped hard on his right side, groaning with the pain of it. The footsteps just behind him hurried to taser him once more.

He was so, so tired of electricity at this point. 

The clicking continued as he was dragged across the cold floor into a room. They shoved him upright and two of them held him at each side. It took four of them to force his first ankle into a binding that felt like plastic rope-the kind that you used when fishing, impossible to snap. He struggled again as they did the same to his other ankle, and when he kicked out, nearly knocking himself backwards and into the women behind him he was viciously tased again.

Spread out like the Vitruvian Man, they finally took the cloth off his head. He felt sticky and sore, blinking in the bright lights. He could see he was suspended in a metal circle facing an open pool. At least, it was a pool now, the warehouse sized room was painted brown with rust where it was not green with algae and moss. The floor in front of him which he suspected was a good 20 feet sunken down was filled with still rainwater and smelled vaguely like a swamp, except more metallic. 

“Are you ready to die, Samurai?” One then asked. He wasn’t sure which one, as he could not see them standing behind him but he grit his teeth and stared into the water. If he had just been slightly more attentive to his surroundings he wouldn’t be here. But it was pointless to dwell on mistakes that had already been made. 

He focused on his breathing as the women continued their clicks. 

“Don’t you want to know what we’re going to do?” The same woman asked from just behind him. She sounded torn between mocking him and being disappointed that he wasn’t begging for mercy.   
“No,” Jack said softly and smiled when all the clicking went quiet.   
“You are as brave as they say,” the woman scorned him, “But all mortals have their breaking point. At which step will you be begging to die, just so it will end?”  
“I will never say such a thing.” Jack told her.   
He felt fingers yanking his hair back and the painful stretch as his neck struggled against the pull.  
“I hope you are truthful, warrior,” she hissed, “If you survive the entire ritual we will be so grateful. I’ve never been able to see someone live to the end of being skinned,” 

Jack glared, remaining determinedly silent.

The clicking suddenly resumed and Jack sighed in relief when his hair was released. He heard quick footsteps behind him, heard their footfalls going back up the steps, but all he could see was murky water.

The small pop of bubbles caught his attention.

Aku zipped around buildings and in between alleys, and as he went he felt himself slowing. He seemed to be solidifying and his body quickly became tired of the rapid movement. His body stopped suddenly on a wide sidewalk throwing him to his knees. He hissed and then looked at his hands again. Flexing his fingers he found... his powers were completely gone. He groaned, punching the concrete beneath him and immediately regretting it.  
Shaking his hand he looked around at the buildings. This whole street was pockmarked with the metal bones of abandoned factories. 

Oh those girls were going to suffer for this. Of course he knew that they were only doing exactly as he’d instructed. But he didn’t care, at the moment he was vaguely impressed that he hadn’t burst into flames again. His face was hot with rage and his jaw was nearly sore from the grinding. 

Aku stood and shook his hands and then carefully flexed his jaw to relieve the tension. At least the Shadow Sisters were unlikely to kill Jack themselves. They wanted to have him sacrificed in an oddly specific ritual sacrifice. Aku remembered at the time being impressed with the thoroughness of their plot and the detailed ways which they wanted to see him tortured to death.   
Now... Aku rolled his eyes. If he could call off all the hunters, robot, and assassins he would. Probably. The thought of Jack pinned so nicely to the wall, like a delicately arranged insect still excited him. But the part afterwords, where he was taken apart...   
Aku sighed. Now that he’d put so much effort into keeping Jack alive, this seemed like a horrible waist.... even if Jack would look *really* good tied up. Looking up at him, eyes full of fear of an unpredictable future, so totally out of his control.  
Aku was stunned at the sudden rush of hunger he felt. Now? Really? He’d eaten yesterday, and right now he was busy, surely he didn’t need to stop and search for more food. He ignored it. 

Jacks heart began to beat faster as more bubbles surfaced. He knew it could just be the building settling. But he was not sure... 

A shrill cry cracked through the air. Jack struggled to look over his shoulder but he couldn’t move at all. More bubbles surfaced. Jack focused his ears on the echoes behind him and his eyes on the water. Not that either would do much good at the moment. How was he to get out of this? He quickly scanned the edges of the circle. It was swept clean, There wasn’t even a hint of rubble near his feet and the ceiling was far above him. 

The clicking seemed to grow faint between terrified shouting.

Another scream. Another burst of bubbles. 

Perhaps he could bend the metal? If he could not break the ropes, he might be able to bend the circle enough to untie himself. He doubted it but couldn’t think of any other options. He began to struggle again, tightening his core and pulling in. There was a light creaking but nothing moved. 

“No no no! Get out ! Don’t get any closer to-AHHHHH!!” The unknown Shadow Sister shrieked. Jack froze there, listening. There was a soft thud. A body hitting the floor somewhere behind him. Then the light tap tap tap of footsteps descending. Jack pulled with all his might once more.   
He felt something pop. Gods, he really didn’t want to die here. He had things he wanted to do! He had to at least get his sword away from people who might try to misuse it. He’d been so painfully close to the possibility of change in his arch nemesis, something he would never get to see if he died here. Footsteps, though soft, echoed loudly throughout the room and Jack tensed.

“Whatever you do I will not yield!” He hissed, struggling even though he knew he couldn’t move.   
No response.   
“I will never give in,”

Jack jolted at the feeling of fingers on his back. The hand did not move to hurt him or stop him. As it snaked up his shoulders he felt himself shiver.

“Oh, do go on, Samurai. Keep screaming in fear.” he purred,  
Jack balked and then groaned in frustrated relief.  
“Aku? How.. how did you get in here?”


	10. Cambrian Explosion

Aku slid his arm around Jack’s neck and leaned over his opposite shoulder, leering at him. Jack looked away, feeling his face light up.

“Yes, it is I! Aku. Saving you again!” He said in a low growl, “Do you want me to get you down or give you a moment by moment rerun of the time since you _left me_ in the woods?”

“Ah-” Jack mumbled and then hung his head. His thoughts were still whirling round in his head, yet he knew he needed to say the my right thing. Not only because he genuinely wanted too, or try and encourage a different reaction, but because he needed to set a better example. “I am sorry, Aku. I should not have left you there. Forgive me, I was wrong.”

Jack felt Aku go completely still and then felt another hand on his face, forcing him to look back at Aku who was staring at him incredulously. Jack twitched, the pain in his sore ribs was trying to catch up to him, now that he was fractionally more relaxed.

“ _What?_ ”

Jack sighed, it was difficult to keep eye contact and Jack really wished Aku would just stop touching him because it was making him even more uncomfortable than the ropes.

“I said,” he began, taking a breath to hopefully subdue his flaming face, “I should not have left you and I am sorry for it,”

Aku gaped at him and then looked away, releasing Jack’s face. Jack felt long fingers pressing against him.

He twitched. He could feel warm breath on his opposite shoulder and the outline of his body against his back. Aku was more or less wrapped around him and although Jack was sure Aku had done it to make Jack angry, he still felt jittery tingles wherever there was contact. It was rare that anyone touched him in a nonviolent way, maybe shaking hands, but besides that he was left alone.

It wasn’t the time for this anyway. He was not sure they were out of danger.

“Please,” Jack asked when Aku remained silent and unmoving, save for the curl of fingers at his Jack’s collarbone, “Get me down from here,”

Aku sighed , backing away and Jack felt a confused rush of relief and disappointment before both Aku’s hands rested on his shoulders from behind. Jacks heart jumped.

“You really do enjoy ruining my fun don’t you?” Aku teased and Jack was truly glad Aku could not see him anymore, he felt vulnerable and he knew his face was blushing red.

“What about the Shadow Sisters, they will return shortly—“

“They are otherwise occupied.”

Jack stiffened.

“No, I didn’t kill them.” Aku said, predicting Jack’s thoughts. “Although, I could have. But they did such a fine job tying you to this wheel. You really must come down _now_?”

“Aku!” Jack protested, praying internally that Aku could not see how he’d started shaking.

Or he could blame it on the ropes. Yes. He was sore and tired from the ropes, that was entirely reasonable. Even if he hadn’t been shaking before he’d been sort of rescued.

“Fine!” Aku moaned. He freed Jacks legs and and then gripped Jack around the waist and began cutting through the ropes up top, setting him down as soon as he was freed. Jack turned around slowly bracing himself to look into the hall where one of the Shadow Sisters was laying. She looked okay, and she was breathing, Jack could see her chest moving.

“Thank you,” Jack said nodding,

He coughed, hoping his face had gone back to normal as he looked back to his companion; and was immediately struck by the expression that met him. Aku’s green eyes were focused solely on Jack, sparkling as they took him in, and seemed to be glowing with excitement. With lips dark, pupils blown, and hair wild from the days chase, he radiated a confident power that took up three feet of space around him in all directions. Like he knew he owned the whole world. Though Jack _knew_ that he knew that, but all that energy was directed at Jack and it made him feel…

Nervous?

Jack shuffled awkwardly, rubbing his wrists. He was becoming distracted.

“Aku, I must find my—”

Aku held out the sword, smiling deviously. Jack took it and pulled it out a few inches, checking for any damage, or anything out of place. There was nothing.

“Thank you,” Jack said again , feeling a smile pulling at the corners his lips.

Aku beamed, if still somewhat sinisterly.

Aku’s smile fell somewhat at the sound of bubbling water. They both turned to look. Jack drew his sword.

“I do not know what that is,” Jack told him, “Or if it will attack us,”

Aku took in the room and then said, “It is probably a crocodile, or something in that family.”

“Why?” Jack asked and raised his eyebrows, so Aku went on.

“The Shadow Sisters had a difficult time trying to find fish that could be kept in captivity and be used as a weapon.”

Jack slowly turned towards him. Aku was still scanning the room, like he was reading it.

“Piranha do not attack humans unless they are dying of starvation or the person is already dead, but of course, starving an animal has the tendency to kill the animal as well. An expensive waste! Fish do not work well for this goal: Sharks, eels, even aquatic mammals are quite fragile in captivity. But crocodiles? Crocodiles are indestructible,” Aku motioned dramatically around the room, “They tolerate extreme conditions,” he pointed at the water, “Horrible habitat,” and looked at Jack,“and go for long periods without eating any food at all, all while remaining just as dangerous.”

“This water probably drained down from outside, so it’s not salt water and it has absolutely no natural filtration. It is a pool of continual festering as insects and other creatures drown in it. Rust bleeds in from the metal walls, and maybe even trash from outsiders. Only a crocodile could survive in this.”

The water bubbled again and Aku nodded, looking to Jack and then the water before doing a double take. Jack was staring at him with his head tilted to the side, dark eyes wide with surprise.

Aku raised one eyebrow, “You do not think it is?”

“You learned all this... to what, torture people? Use creatures as a living threat?”

Aku nodded and shrugged, “Sometimes.”

“For your shape shifting?”

Aku laughed, “Mm, I am not telling you that.”

Jack grinned. He couldn’t stop himself. He tried to avoid imagining how Aku had fed someone to animals. Even if it hadn't worked. 

Jack looked back at the pool, sheathing his sword. “I have no doubts of your conclusion. Unless it is something completely unnatural. Like a robot. But I must ask you two things,”

Aku shifted his weight, waiting, and Jack gave him an appraising look.

“Who are the Shadow Sisters, and...”

“And?”

“If you will tell me more about animals that you know. I take in what I can about nature, but I think you have had more time to gather information,”

Aku blinked in surprise, “I... suppose...” he said slowly, “While we work towards this goal I can tell you about...” Aku shrugged, “Nature,”

Jack smiled at him and Aku just stared.

“Thank you,”

The Shadow Sister in the hall sighed softly just beyond them and they both turned to see her, shakily pulling herself to her knees.

“You..” she moaned, pointing a finger at Aku and crying out in a broken voice, “You will pay for your disrespect! How dare you stand in the way of Aku’s wishes! The Samurai will die, as the Master promised us! You can kill us now but nothing will stop us in the end. There are more of us everywhere!”

Jack glanced sidelong at Aku who seemed to be struggling through a series of conflating emotions. Aku opened his mouth to speak but Jack put a hand to his chest and shook his head, whispering, “She must not know. You will risk your safety,”

Aku sighed, nodding and motioned towards the stairs.

“Let’s go,”

Jack cautiously followed Aku towards the stairs, avoiding the near vicinity of the Shadow Sister, who was now sobbing pitifully, and sometimes clicking. As he followed his companion up and out of the hall he silently prayed for them to find peace.

Jack stretched his arms out to feel the sun and then winced, grasping his side. Aku stepped in front of him while he gathered himself back together, watching the streets, though they lacked visible passers by. Jack let out a slow breath, standing up straight and looked around the rusty abandoned buildings.

“We must get out of here,” Jack said and Aku shook his head, eyeing Jacks side.

“You wouldn’t be able to climb over a garden fence right now,” he scoffed derisively.

“They... tased me and I fell. They pushed me down the stairs and I fell on the same ribs...”

“Mmm,” Aku hummed, almost pitilessly, “You will need to sleep it off,” Aku said, eyeing each factory, “I think we can find a hiding spot close by,”

“What about the rest o the Shadow Sisters?”

Aku growled, crossing one arm over his chest and palming his beard in thought. “I would simply tell them to stop or give them another task. But as you said, they cannot know that I am...”

“Human?” Jack finished for him while he continued his scowling. “What if they did not see you? What if they only heard you?”

Aku seemed to shrink away, clenching his teeth and putting his hand over the bottom of his face as if he could hide his voice.

“I do not... I do not sound the same.”

Jack laughed in confusion, “What do you mean? Just because you are less loud when you are a mere six feet tall?”

Aku scoffed, continuing to cover his mouth.

Jack noticed that Aku’s pale green skin was darkening around his ears. He quickly looked away.

“You do not think they will notice a difference?”

“No, your voice is still very much your own. You are still capable of speaking with your resoundingly egomaniacal confidence. Even while finding a reason to call off your minions,”

Aku stared and then laughed, pulling his hand away from his mouth.

He looked seriously at Jack, “This may be the strangest day of my entire life.” he said, almost nervously.

“You are welcome,” Jack teased, smiling at the look on Aku’s face, “How shall we find you a way to speak to them?”

They agreed to look for a radio or a phone the next day.

“We need to have a conversation,” Jack said tiredly. Aku had found a reasonably comfortable room inside one of the old factories to hide in. The only catch was that Jack had to walk up several flights of steps. Aku paced irritably at the top of each floor, watching Jack take his time, slowing often to breath. Finally, he’d announced that he’d had enough of Jack’s slowness and had taken one of Jack’s arms over his shoulders so that he could take the weight off Jacks injured side. Jack wheezed a thank you and heard quiet cursing in response.

“We can talk about animals when you’re sitting down, so I don’t have to listen to you _wheezing into my ear_ ,” Aku hissed.

“Not.. not animals,” Jack said, feeling woozy from the exertions. Aku pulled Jack up into the final step and into a narrow hall.

“There,” he said commandingly, leading Jack into the only room with an open door. Jack followed, and sighed in exhaustion when Aku helped him sit beneath a large circular window so he could lean against the wall beneath.

Aku sat down beside him with an angry expression, his fingers twitching as if he were itching to use his claws. But Jack noted that, Aku’s behavior did not match at all. He wondered how often he pretended to be angry when he was not.

Dizziness began to overtake him and he fell sideways into Aku. Aku sighed in irritation, before rearranging Jack to lay on his back on the floor, pushing something soft under his head.

“We need to talk..” Jack said again,

“No, you need to sleep.”

Jack stared up at him, the room still seemed to be spinning and he was having difficulty grounding himself. _The door is closed and barricaded, my sword is at my side, I am well hidden, I can rest._ He thought. But his body did not want to listen.

Aku watched Jack make little pained noises between his breaths and finally couldn’t stand it anymore. He pulled the gi down until Jack’s side was exposed, even as Jack glared at him. There was bruising but there wasn’t swelling. Aku breathed a sigh of relief. Jack was just suffering the aftermath of being tasered. But that would heal. If he was bleeding internally or his lung had been pierced? Aku shook the thought from his mind and looked down to see he’d rested one hand in Jack’s shoulder. Jack didn’t flinch this time, just looked up at him.

“Not quite as bad as the jungle,” Aku told him, unable to stand the silence.

“Tasers and lightning are no equals,”

“No.” He agreed, “Why do you not rest? You slept near me before.”

Jack sighed, “I do not feel well, it is very difficult to relax. Though I did not sleep well with you near me either,” he told him, smirking.

Aku grunted in response and leaned against the wall.

Time passed as the light dimmed and moved languidly across the floor. Aku was silent. Contrary to his earlier complaining he was glad to hear Jack breathing. Jack still being Jack; refusing to give in. He pretended to be unconscious of the fact that he still had his hand on Jacks shoulder, just beside his neck, feeling the rhythm of his heart beating.

He could tell Jack was still not sleeping,

[[“Do you know how old your planet is, Samurai?”]] he asked softly in Japanese. Jacks heart rate spiked just beneath his fingers and Jack looked blearily up at him, saying; [[no?]]

Aku nodded slowly, picturing the many fossils he had seen. [[This planet is ancient. Creatures of unimaginable shapes and sizes have come and gone from it,”]]

Jack stared and Aku realized that he’d gone still, breathing evening out. So he continued.

[[“let me tell you about the Cambrian explosion,”]]

Jack shuttered and Aku paused, looking down at him.

[[“I cannot sleep,”]] he mumbled,

[[“Why?”]]

[[“I do not want to miss this story,”]]

[[“This is hardly a story. Just ... science.”]]

[[“Still. I do not want to miss it.”]]

[[“Sleep, you.”]] He ordered, [[“If you forget them, I will tell you again later.”]]

Jack didn't argue. 

Aku continued talking about jellyfish for a few more minutes and Jack fell into a deep sleep, dreamless, hardly moving. Aku heard a small clink, like marbles on the floor, and eyed the room, until something caught his eye. Just beside Jacks sword, tucked into his gi, was a strand of beads. His eyes went wide.

Aku leaned over him slowly, gingerly sliding the beads out. Jack, to his amazement, didn’t stir. So he sat back agains the wall and looked them over.

How ? How in the hell had Jack come into the possession of such things?

In his treasury, locked away from anyone who could not teleport, he had only three of these beads and the ones he had were all cracked and clear. Jack seemed to have 14, all new, and different colors. He ogled them, holding them up into the beam of moonlight, watching them glow. Each one was of these beads was more priceless than the last, Mercury reds, opalescent oranges, shifting green, and many others.

He looked at Jack, still sleeping soundly and took his wrist from the floor, wrapping the beads around him loosely but with a very tight knot. Then he too went to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I stopped posting once a day. Ive been writing a lot actually, its just been HORRIBLY out of order. Does anyone have a preference for if this should have a lot of sexy fun times or be more about the story? I'm goanna go out on a limb and assume the first one but if you want me to do something specific... Screech it at me via comments :D


	11. Three Impossible Tasks

Jack blinked tiredly, for a moment his body was awake without his brain and he wondered where he was. He was a little cold, but he could feel warmth coming through the circular window. When he moved his hand to rub at his eyes he felt ice sliding down his forearm and quickly looked down. His beads were tied around his wrist. He blinked and rubbed his eyes.

He squinted. He was sure he had put them in his other sleeve, and he definitely had not tied them to himself. Jack turned his head to face the room, his eyes still adjusting to the warm morning light. On the other side of him, Aku was laying a few feet away, flat on his back but in the opposite direction to Jack, close enough for Jack to see his calm expression. Jack watched his breathing and wondered what a creature like Aku would ever dream about. As a demon, he’d only ever mentioned it once as far as he could recall, calling a premonition about Jack getting a crystal that might have taken him home. That was right after he’d thrown off the disguise of Ikra. Jack scowled. He could still hear the laughter in his mind.

Was Aku’s good dream one of Jack’s nightmares. Jack sighed. He supposed his dreams would be Aku’s nightmares as well, but he still felt in the right. Or at least on the side of good morals. Wondering at the contradictory display he’d seen yesterday he turned his head again to study Aku’s expression without getting caught or questioned.

As waking life took him he realized how horribly thirsty he’d become. He coughed lightly, turning himself onto his side.

“Ah..Aku ?” He said softly,

An annoyed growl was his only response.

“I am going outside,”

Aku’s eyes opened wide so fast Jack had the sneaking suspicion he had not been asleep at all.

“Why would you do that?” Aku asked, sounding grumpy but very much awake.

“Water.”

Jack slowly sat up, flinching at the way his muscles twitched. Sleeping on the floor hadn’t been the most comfortable option and his body shook as he moved to stretch himself out. Aku sat up quickly, eyeing him.

“Mm?” Jack questioned, slowly stretching out his arms.

“You look awful,” he said flatly.

Jack sputtered and then laughed, which quickly turned into a coughing fit he was not expecting. Aku stood, holding out one finger as if to say; _STAY_. Jack shook his head and scrambled painfully to his feet, looking around for his geta.

“Just go back to sleep.” Aku growled.

“Where are you—” he coughed into his sleeve.

Aku raised an eyebrow, frowning. “I also feel thirsty and hungry and all that…” he motioned in annoyance. “I will bring us water.”

“No,” Jack said. The cold look in his eyes told Aku there was nothing to argue about and so he closed his mouth with an annoyed snap and rolled his eyes.

“You have not called off the Shadow Sisters, if they find us here, they will be more prepared to deal with _you_.”

Aku smiled, “Mmm, It is good to know you still see me as a threat.”

Jack gave him a sour look. “Was that ever in question? Now, please, help me get down the steps again.”

Aku took note of how badly Jack was shaking as he put on his shoes and slowly straightened out his hair to re-pin it. Images of Jack collapsing down the craggy, mossy, and uneven steps flashed before his eyes. He slowly stepped forward and Jack stumbled away in surprise. Aku grabbed him by the upper arm.

“This would be an embarrassing way to die as well, wouldn’t it?”

“Stop talking, Aku,” Jack glared but then seemed to gather himself and said, “Thank you.”

Aku blinked. He didn’t think he would _ever_ be able to believe those words out of his mouth.

“I have been in worse pain, I will do it.”

Aku shrugged, “What if I just carry you down the steps?”

Jack glared, “Why would you do that?”

Aku groaned in exasperation, “Ja-Samurai, just do it. So we can get out of this place and find something to eat.”

Jack continued to look torn, even as Aku kept a grip on his shivering arm. Aku pulled him closer and motioned for him to get on his back. He’d seen humans do this before. Jack reluctantly complied, and Aku watched with a raised eyebrow as Jack’s face started to turn red again. He seemed to do that a lot.

Jack chewed his lip. He didn’t really think Aku would drop him exactly—though that was not out of the question—but being this close to him put him on edge in ways he had never imaged to exist. He hooked his arms around Aku’s neck and tried to just focus on getting out. Once he’d had some water he would be okay. He could walk on his own, several paces away from Aku at all times.

Aku didn’t seem to mind the extra weight, lithe as he may have been, he walked down the hall and carefully down the steps at a moderate pace. One near the exit he kicked open the door with surprising force as they headed out into the sunshine. Jack awkwardly cleared his throat.

“We still need to talk,” Jack said in a croaky voice.

Aku turned his head to glare at him, “As long as you don’t start coughing into my ear, you may speak as much as you want, Sa-mu-rai,” he hissed.

Jack blinked, even with the human face, the exasperated expression was so familiar he struggled not to laugh again.

“Yes…” He continued, “I wanted to ask you something as well. Where did you get these?” he said, tapping the beads around Jack’s wrist.

“Did you tie them there last night?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Aku laughed, “You don’t know what they are, do you?”

Jack looked at the beads, “Very beautiful beads?”

Aku sighed, “I have to admit, I was very surprised to see that you had them. I’ve only ever really seen them used in necromancy.”

Jack choked and then coughed, thankfully off to the side before sputtering, “Wh-what?”

“Speaking with the dead, not bringing bodies back from the dead.”

Jack made a noise for Aku to continue. He was already exhausted and he hadn’t even gotten to his own questions.

“They are impossibly rare. Only one family on the planet, or out of it, has ever been able to make such beads. They aren’t _really_ beads. They are magic, condensed magic, like carbon in a diamond. They are very stable. It is impossible, as far as I have ever tried, to shrink that amount of force down without creating instability… like a… like a bomb. Yet they exist.”

Jack held them out and looked at them curiously.

“No. I have heard that she is a siren or a witch, depending on who I asked. They tell me that she is beautiful enough to distract a storm at sea, or choke a burning fire.”

Jack blinked, “I did not notice if she was a witch or .. a siren? But she was extremely kind and very beautiful,”

Aku’s expression soured. Jack raised an eyebrow.

“Hmm,”

“What?”

Aku did not respond for a moment as he passed a road and headed for trees again. “I am assuming this is where we are going for now?”

“Yes.” Jack said tiredly.

Aku glared at the beads. Being hungry was making him very irritable.

“Why are you angry about the woman with the beads?”

Aku growled, “I am not angry,”

“Do you know her?”

Aku squinted, “No.”

“We’re you hoping to meet her as well? To see her for yourself?”

“No.” He snapped. “I just did not expect you to be so ignorant on the subject since you have them in your possession!” He growled.

Jack chose not to respond.

The two remained quiet for the most part as they walked a small path into the woods and Jack stopped him to direct him off of the path upon hearing water. Aku trudged on, glaring at nothing. Sometimes grinding his teeth.

Once they got to the edge of a promising looking creek Aku leaned to the side and pushed Jack off. Jack stumbled but did not fall. He was too desperate to get to the water. Normally he would try to boil the water but he had no way to do so at the moment. Cautiously, he scooped out water with his right hand and took a sip. It tasted like well water. It was even cold. Gratefully he drank some, kneeling to get into a more comfortable position as he did so. After a minute Jack could see Aku out of his peripherals doing the same.

Sated for the moment, Jack looked through the trees, trying to squash the questions itching horribly in his throat. He sighed, taking in the peaceful sounds of nature and running water for a moment.

“Aku,” Jack said, hands resting on his knees. Aku’s green eyes focused on him immediately and Jack motioned for him to sit by his side.

Reluctantly, Aku sat, resting his long legs on the side of the creek, just keeping his shoes dry.

“I have been wanting to have an actual conversation with you, if you will allow it?”

Aku glared at him sideways. Jack searched for another explanation, “Um, I know we have been speaking to each other. I would like, however, to just have an open conversation.” He paused watching Aku struggle with this request. He softly added, “If you think you can handle it,” surely provoking him to talk more freely wasn’t such a terrible sin.

“You don’t want to hear about the evolution of animals anymore?” Aku asked in a high mocking voice. Jack half laughed, feeling his face burn.

“It is not that. It is about us. It is about who you are and who I am, working together towards a goal.”

Aku’s expression seemed to become less aggressive, but he still did not speak.

“Before I left you in the forest, you said that you did not kill me because...” Jack swallowed the anger trying to crawl back out of him. Calling for a fight, for the world to make sense again. “...Because you think I am some sort of gift or possession of yours. You and I know that this is not true. I want to know why you saved me, but if you cannot tell me without descending into insults then we can skip this question.”

Aku scoffed and looked back down into the water. He shrugged.

“You saved me from Nebula when he came after me. You took me out of a situation that probably would have resulted in my death, and then, when I fall into your hands—“

“Literally,” Aku said, staring across the creek as if he were watching it all happen again. Looking fractionally more happy.

“Yes, literally. You did not attack me, and then you saved me from Nebula _again_. “

Aku grimaced at him. Shifting the guilt aroundhis shoulders.

“And then,” Jack continued, watching Aku’s expression carefully, “Then you saved me from the Shadow Sisters.”

Jack leaned closer, holding his hands palm up, eyebrows raised, waiting for an answer. Aku bent on leg to rest his head on his knee, “You would have escaped them eventually,” Aku said grumpily.

Jack blinked, startled by the compliment.

Aku turned his head, focusing his wild green eyes on Jack.

“Even if I tell you the truth,” he told Jack pointing at his chest, “You would not believe me. How would you know I was not lying? You know better than to trust me,”

Jack looked back and forth between Aku’s features. He saw how wide Aku’s pupils had become, how little he was blinking, and how he held his mouth partly open as ready to growl or bare his teeth at any time. Aku spoke in a low and sharply edged tone, yet he was almost curled in on himself. Jack observed all this, nodded and sat back, crossing his legs.

“You are Aku,” Jack said, “That was a clever way to evade my question. A very politician-like way to do so.”

Aku smiled and shrugged. He did not untangle himself or try to speak again. He was hiding something, but it was something personal, some vulnerability he was afraid to expose.

Jack nodded, “I accept that you do not want to answer my question.”

Aku just looked stricken but Jack moved on.

“I have more. But, it is only fair to let you ask questions as well.”

“Like 20 questions?”

Jack blinked, “why does the number of questions matter if—“

“It is a game, never mind.”

Jack nodded, “do you have questions of me?”

Aku stared suspiciously. “What did you think of the woman with the beads? Really?”

Completely thrown, Jack stuttered, “I... I was grateful for her help. She was very kind to me. I do not know why she insisted I take so many of these beads but she pressed it very insistently—“

“Yes, yes, of course she did. I want to know what you _think_ of her?”

“I do not understand,”

Aku eyed him and then looked back to the creek, idly playing with a stone beneath his red shoes. “You said she was beautiful. Did you like her?”

Jack was about to ask again what that meant when the meaning hit him.

“Uh, uhm,” he muttered, his face heating up, “I do not understand why you want to know this. It did not occur to me to think of her in any way other than... friendly,” he said in a shy whisper.

Aku frowned at him.

“Why?”

Aku shrugged, “You act very shy around attractive women. This confuses me because I would have assumed, given your reputation with the people, that you would have had many partners,”

“What?!” Jack yelped in surprise, feeling his face absolutely burn.

Aku raised his eyebrows.

“You have not?”

“I haven’t.” He shot back. He crossed his arms over his chest, trying to calm his angry breathing. He hoped to still the blood rushing into his face and ears but still felt the heat. “Are you going to mock me now?” He asked. After a moment of stillness jack locked back at Aku.

Aku was staring at him with that same green eyed glassy expression. Curiouslyobserving him, without presupposed judgement. Jack was taken off guard by the child-like expression. Innocent, or uniformed, or maybe his reaction it was more like that of an animal... He just truly did not not understand, he had no personal reference for comparison. Jack remembered that Akus remarks -though painful- were almost always purely incendiary and were meaningless concepts to Aku.

A sudden vivid understanding of how alien humans were to Aku, came to Jack.

“Uh,” Jack dropped his hands to his sides and faced Aku once again. Rage completely replaced with curiosity. “I am.. embarrassed by these sorts of conversations.” He said in a much gentler tone. Aku’s brows furrowed as he searched Jacks face for the meaning of this sudden switch in mood.

“Forgive me for being short with you,” he said, nodding his head.

Aku backed away from Jack as if me might attack.

“What are you doing?”

“I think you actually meant to ask me a question, did you not? Or were you trying to make me angry?”

Aku tilted his head again, frowning at Jack.

“A question... yes,” Aku agreed wearily, crossing his own arms protectively over his chest.

“Are you interested in the ways humans interact with each other ? Like I am about animals? I suppose you..” Jack refrained from saying ‘don’t understand’ to avoid Aku becoming aggressive, “Do not need to interact as humans do, you do not have a need to be social?”

Aku studied Jack, alarmed by his sudden change in tone, but he didn’t speak. He would never ever tell Jack that he was wrong about that. He would never tell anyone that he ever had any ‘need to be social’.

Jack was also staring at him with an open expression, with raised eyebrows, patiently waiting for Aku to react. He turned his head away, shrugging, hoping the man would just go back to being angry. Anger he could understand, it was easy.

Jack watched Aku shifting back and forth, stubbornly avoiding any eye contact. An idea occurred to him and he leaned away, giving Aku more space, and said:

“May I ask another question?”

Aku shrugged.

“I cannot imagine being able to just _be_.”

Aku looked at him.

“I have family. To come into existence without connection or ties to other people is unimaginable to me. Did you truly make yourself? Do you... do you remember it?”

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Aku perk at the question; at he opportunity to talk about himself. Jack pretended to stare idly into the woods.

Aku clicked, thoughts flowing before his eyes, “Yes, I am free of any ties that might have forced me to live like a mortal. To create and destroy as I see fit.”

Jack tilted his head to look at him, keeping his expression as open and curious as he could. As if to say, ‘please go on,’.

Aku’s eyes seemed to glow almost yellow in the light of Jacks interest.

“I remember the first thoughts of my existence, but they were sensory. It would be impossible to _really_ describe the way I can feel the Earth moving. Or feel the live electricity in mortal creatures as they move about on its surface,”

Jacks expression was of honest interest this time. Aku squinted, “why?”

“I honestly wanted to know. I am curious... about you.” Jack felt very vulnerable and stopped himself from continuing.

“I know your people told you about my origins,” Aku said darkly, “I remember those early moments clearly. Language that cane to me from the thoughts left behind by humans,”

Jack froze, “You can hear thoughts?”

“Not at the moment,” he admitted, smirking at Jacks fearful realization. “Do not worry, Samurai,” Aku said amusedly.

“I find that quite worrying, actually,” Jack told him shortly and Aku laughed.

“I cannot read your mind unless I am actively trying to. It takes a lot of concentration to do this, it isn’t something I could easily do while also keeping track of you, eh... it is more like, I receive bits of thoughts. Broken ideas. Enough to eventually understand what is being said.”

Jack couldn’t imagine this either but he nodded.

“It is my turn now?”

“Yes,” Jack said rather nervously now, “I think so,”

“Tell me something I do not know about you,”

Jack blinked, feeling himself pulling away in fear. Before jack could stop himself he said, “I am very sensitive to smell. Strong enough smells make me feel sick.”

Aku paused, “Truly?”

“Yes. What about you? Do things like this ever bother you?”

Aku glared.

“Well,” Jack shrugged, “I’m sure you are not interested in the inner workings of us lowly mortal creatures,” he said in a voice dripping with provocative sarcasm. “But perhaps _you_ have these problems too.”

Aku was unable to resist the dare. He leaned in towards Jack, eyes challenging, as he leaned forward.

“You want me to tell you how to kill me, Samurai?”

Jack smiled and leaned forward in a fearless gesture, “I know how to kill you, Aku. I have almost succeeded several—”

“And I have almost killed you!”

Jack laughed and Aku grimaced.

“Yes. I remember,” he agreed, unconsciously running his fingers over a scar just under his gi. “I am only curious about you, is all. You seem to be interested in, well, me, so I thought...” he shrugged again, motioning to Aku. Aku ran his fingers through his beard, still glaring.

“What if I lied? What if I did mean to insult you,” Aku said, his posture closing off again.

This time Jack was ready.

“No,” jack said quickly, “you are much more adept at insulting me.”

“Should I have mentioned your family then?” He whispered

“Are you admitting you’re capable of making mistakes?” He Asked loudly

Aku sneered and Jack chewed his cheek before asking quietly,

“What does it feel like to be alone?”

Aku’s glare vanished and was replaced by that same glassy eyed stare. Only this time it was a void. A dead green sea. Jack sighed.

“You remember coming into existence. You have no family. Even great solidarity predators are at times forced to seek out others. But there is no one else like you, is there?”

Aku blinked rapidly, and sucked in air through his teeth. His eyes scanned the spaces between the trees beside them as if searching to disprove Jack.

“Unless... Is Nebula what you are?”

“No! Yes...” Aku growled, “I do not know, Samurai,” he said more calmly, steepling his fingers in front of his mouth and raising an eyebrow. “I feel ... that you are hinting at something you want to ask... that you think I will not tell you.”

Jack nodded, Aku looked him up and down appraisingly before he sighed and gave one quick nod.

“Actually, I went to a graveyard and spoke with the spirits there,”

Aku raised his eyebrows. Jack held up his hands to stop him from interrupting, “I told them of the red demon, and how when you tried to help me, together we accomplished something. They also told me that Nebula is a … sleeper. Do you know what that is?”

Aku closed his eyes groaned as if warding off a migraine and nodded.

“I also asked them about your powers. You still do not have them?”

“Ah, well,”

Jack paled and Aku cackled. The look was too much.

“Yesterday. There was a moment when you were being taken by the Shadow Sisters. They pulled you into their car... I felt them come back. I _saw_ them come back, but not in full.”

Jack leaned closer again, as if expecting to see them hiding somehow. Aku sighed, “I created fire,” he hissed in appreciation of the fleeting memory, “I moved through the darkness. That is how I found you so quickly,”

Jack stared.

“Now I cannot feel them.” His shoulders sagged and he laid backwards in the dirt with a groan.

Jack tried to process all that he’d just heard. He wanted to ask what he thought had happened but all that came out was an awed, almost disbelieving whisper, “you... you got your powers back and still came... to save me?”

Aku didn’t respond. He was too tired to even process that, let alone question himself.

“You know, when I saw you running, I wished that you could have done that. I never would have even dared to imagine that you might actually…” Jack tried to shake the shock, but it refused want to leave.

Aku jerked, staring into the canopy with an odd expression on his face. He said nothing.

“Anyway,” he began again, “The spirits say that the red demon can be injured by my sword but, well,“

“You cannot move fast enough to do damage”

Jack blinked, “You already knew this?”

“I thought that might be it.” He said, stroking his beard. “But then it is inconceivable, as we have both said. I cannot wield your sword even if I have my powers. Not that you would ever allow it.” Aku finished with a smirk at Jack.

A thought stuck Jack, “Could you move me?” he asked,

Aku perked, humming curiously ,”yes... Yes I could move you... assuming you don’t get whiplash.”

Jack ignored this, “So then... two impossible tasks. One: We must get you your powers back in order to; two: Work in tandem to defeat Nebula.:

“Three…” Aku corrected.

“What’s that?”

Aku looked at Jack, his green eyes dull with the weight of this thoughts. “You wanted, just for a moment for me to be able to use my powers?”

Jack blushed again, scratching his head, “Well, yes,”

“My powers are not gone,” He whispered,

Jack leaned away, “What?”

“I can only use them.. if you let me.”

Jack tilted his head and rubbed his eyes as if he’d confused his senses and misheard that statement with his eyes. He felt horribly dizzy again.

“Give you..”

Aku groaned, “When I ... you know.. stopped Nebula from killing you, he hit us both with that last spell.”

“Both? But I don’t have powers...”

“No.” Aku shook his head, “In order for me to use my powers... you will have to trust me with them.”

Jack fell back, staring up at the canopy just beside Aku. Eyes wide with shock and awe.

“Three... impossible tasks...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the timing is okay for you guys? I'm hoping to have this fully written before October where I will fall off the edge of the planet. But then I can edit/ add things if you want. :) SOON there will be... fun things. ;)


	12. Getting Easier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mostly talking and fluff! <3 Almost cuddles at the end? :D 
> 
> I looked at all my written stuff and realized that the FUN TIMES are farther away than I thought! I'm so sorry! On the other hand... I write in pages and my document is nearly over 100 pages long in 11 font (I like 11 font better, Idk why, I'm weird that way.)

“Try again,” Jack said smiling.

“What twisted game is this supposed to be?!” Aku growled. Jack just laughed.

“It’s not a game. It’s an experiment. How long will it take you to tell me the truth?”

“Or what answer will you accept as the truth?”

Jack smiled, “Word play is why you have a forked tongue and I do not,”

Aku growled and rolled his eyes, “Judgement for the way I was born? That seems dark for you, Samurai,”

Jack continued smiling. He was watching Aku drink from the creek at the foot of the tree below where he was sitting on a high branch. They hadn’t moved since the day before, since Jack could still barely walk.

The night had gone by surprisingly fast.

The previous evening Jack watched Aku angrily make a fire and glare at Jack whenever he caught him looking, which was every time because he was actually really enjoying provoking him. In truth he thought Aku was also amused, since his verbal abuse was petty and not cruel.

“This would be already completed if I still had my powers!” Aku growled at the pitiful smoke.

“Can you actually do something with fire that is not instantly destructive? Do you have aim?”

Aku threw something at him, hitting him quite hard in his uninjured shoulder, and pointed, “How is that for aim?!”

Jack had laughed until Aku couldn’t even pretend to look angry anymore. He gave it his best try though.

Once he’d started a small fire Jack had relaxed up against a tree and tried to ignore the grumbling of his stomach. Aku sat beside him after a while and was quiet for a long time. Jack peered at him and was surprised to see that Aku was just resting, blearily watching the creek. When he noticed Jack, however, he did speak again.

“I promise not to hurt you while you sleep.”

Jack scoffed and smiled again, “Thank you?”

“Yes,” Aku said seriously.

“Well... then I promise not to harm you while you sleep or even while you are awake. Unprovoked of course,”

Aku smirked, “You mean that? Forever?”

Jack raised an eyebrow and leaned back against the tree, “Not while you’re human.”

Aku snickered, “So if I were to change forms in my sleep, does that mean you will kill me?”

Jack laughed, “This is not how you make friends, Aku,”

Aku stopped smiling and gave Jack a piercing stare.

“Oh, I am sorry, I—“

“Are we friends?” He asked.

Jack stared at him for a moment and then sighed deeply, “No, I do not think so.” He admitted.

“So, then, going back to what I said. If I change forms in my sleep?”

Jack let out a small breath of exasperation, “Okay. Okay. I promise not to hurt you or harm you in your sleep in any form. Now or in the future. How is that?”

Aku’s gaze was still very intent, “It is... a loophole.”

Jack groaned, “That is how you see it. I see it as being a good person. I am not a coward who kills people in their sleep,”

“People?”

Jack pushed Aku over, “I do not kill demons in their sleep either! I vow to wake each one before battle!”

Aku laughed good naturedly. He sat upright again and smiled at Jack.. almost fondly. Jack wasn’t sure, he looked away before he could read into it.

“What happens when I do get my powers back?”

Jack took another deep breath and looked at him. Aku was giving him that owlish expression he sometimes got when he wasn’t paying attention to his own self presentation. Actually it was one of Jack’s favorite expressions... if he were allowed to think such things.

“Then you will find a way to defeat Nebula.” He said with as much confidence as he could muster.

“...and then?” He asked quietly.

“You plan that far ahead? I am still unsure of how we will send Nebula back where he came from,”

“Yes,” Aku said proudly, “Failure is not an option.”

Jack couldn’t help but smile again.

“What?”

“Only a short time ago, it seemed to me you had given up. What has given you your confidence back?”

Aku turned away, “Failure is simply not an option,”

Aku pushed himself back up against the tree.

“How long?” Aku asked again.

“What?”

“How long until you try to kill me again?”

Jack sat up straight and put his hand on Aku’s shoulder.

“Aku, I want to tell you something. Something I have been thinking.”

Aku looked at him sideways.

“I cannot be anything less than mortal enemy’s with a creature who’s entire existence is based on the desire to destroy. To be cruel and selfish at the detriment of other people’s lives. I cannot support power hungry viscous tyrants.”

Aku seemed to grind his teeth, his green eyes filling with darkness.

“But... I can be friends with someone who can try and change,”

Aku just growled, crossing his arms, but before he could speak Jack squeezed his shoulder.

“Before you argue with me, just... think about it.” He said seriously.

Aku frowned and nodded. Jack moved to rest against the tree.

“But, Samurai,”

Jack smiled at him and Aku seemed to withdraw.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“If I do not have to kill you. I will not. I don’t _want_ to kill you.” He said seriously. Aku watched him for a long time as Jack slid down and rested on his back, growing sleepy again.

He’d felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Which was why he was in such a good mood the next morning. He’d managed to find some wild berries that he knew to be safe and shared them with Aku.

“I thought you said you created yourself. Am I wrong?” Jack continued in a relaxed tone, smiling slyly up in his spot on the branch.

“You humans are always wrong!” Aku said, pointing at Jack.

“So... were you born this arrogant? Shall I forgive you for that as well?”

Aku scoffed, peering up into the trees and gesturing quite rudely.

“Is that your argument?” Jack asked.

Aku sighed dramatically, “I _may_ have been influenced by the people who were nearest to me, like I absorbed their language.”

Jack leaned back against the tree, “I do believe that story,”

Aku growled. Jack grinned.

“Try again? Why did you save me, Aku?”

Aku stood up, put his hands on his hips and said in his most threatening voice, “Because, I feel good watching you suffer,” he spoke slowly, annunciating every syllable like a curse.

Jack stared, reflecting Aku’s fire right back in his dark eyes. “Then you had best hope you never manage to kill me.”

“Why is that?”

“You shall never feel happiness again.”

Aku paused and then shook his head, climbing into the tree. Jack watched him climb up to sit on the branch just above him.

“How do your ribs feel?”

“Better,”

“Good, because I am going to kill you.”

Jack had never felt less threatened by a demon in all his life.

“Will you save me from yourself?” he teased, “Or from a dragon, like a damsel?”

“I might crush you like a damsel _fly_!” He shot back, though his eyes were glittering with devious amusement, “Now, now, look who has a forked tongue.”

Jack smiled.

Aku seemed about to add something when he grimaced and leaned back against the tree.

“Whats wrong?”

“I am,” Aku said, “feeling dizzy.”

Jack reached out and grabbed his arm, “Do not fall from the tree. You are probably dizzy because you are hungry. We should find food.”

Aku sighed, “I could carry you back into town,”

“I think I can walk now,” Jack said smirking.

“Thank the Gods!” Aku exclaimed and climbed back out of the tree, jumping the last few branches.

Aku looked ready to pass out by the time they made it out into the nearby market. Jack quickly found food and made Aku sit down to eat it, ignoring Aku’s indigent growling. As he thought it would though, Aku’s mood improved after he’d eaten. He even insisted on giving Jack some of the fruit in his to-go style box. Aku received water and strange looks from Jack.

After they had been sated and felt calmer, Jack quietly brought up the Shadow Sisters.

“Yes,” Aku said, “We need to find a phone,” he told Jack, standing up and peering over a crowd to see the storefront windows.

Jack had no idea what they were supposed to look like, so he followed along silently, keeping an eye out for more Shadow Sisters. Keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious.

“There,” Aku said motioning to a shop window.

Jack looked at the little black rectangles in the window. Oh, yes, he’d seen people use these things before. He had never tried to do it himself, but he rarely was trying to reach out for long distance conversation.

Aku peered around at the few people inside and Jack stopped him.

“Do not steal it, Aku,” he said sternly.

Aku smiled mischievously, “Oh no. What will I do with it after we use it? No, I’m just going to borrow it and then put it back. Not the ones in the window of course, but in the back. I will take one outside, use it and then replace it,” he whispered, smirking.

“They will notice you,” Jack said.

“No, because you are going to distract them,”

“What?!”

“Ask them about the products. Act interested.”

Jack glared.

“Do you have a better idea, Sa-Mu-Rai??”

Jack sighed and shook his head.

“What do I ask about?”

“The less you know the better. Then you will actually have to ask questions to understand what they are saying.”

This was not Jacks usual MO. He waited for a moment for Aku to disappear inside, behind some of the high white shelves of “tech,” others called it. He braced himself and went inside. The clerk ignored him at first, idly chewing a piece of gum and cleaning an already spotless desk. When Jack drew closer he perked up,

“Hello, can I help you with something today, sir?”

“Uh...” Jack paused, looking over the seemingly endless display of nearly identical little phones. “I am looking into purchasing a phone?” He said meekly.

The clerk smiled, “Out of towner?”

Jack nodded slowly.

“Don’t worry. I can help you find the perfect fit for you. Let me show you all the options you might like. Do you have any special needs you want met in your cellphone?”

Jacks concerned expression was enough for him apparently because he laughed and said again:

“Don’t worry, let me show you..”

Aku rounded the corner pretending to view the options. Outside the shop he had noticed a woman in an orange coat and black pants staring at him from between the isles. And although it seemed like eight eternities since anyone had looked at him like that, he knew what it meant.

Jack didn’t understand that there were alarms in every one of the boxes on the shelves of the store. Or at least, he assumed he didn’t since he’d just agreed with the plan. He also didn’t understand how to prioritize a goal. Aku rolled his eyes to himself, pretending not to watch the woman pretending not to watch him. _Jack_ and his stupid moral code. It amazed him to no end that Jack was still alive when he couldn’t take something to save his own life.

Aku softened his expression and looked, just as she was looking at him. Her face lit up in surprise and she smiled apologetically, giving him a small wave. He smiled back at her, turning to face her he put on his best shy act; imitating her own, putting his hand on the back of his neck and saying quietly,

“I don’t exactly know what to look at in this place...” he said, giving her a sweet sympathetic smile, “Do you know anything about what kind of phone is still good nowadays?

She beamed at the attention and stepped closer, “Uh, well its just my opinion, but I love these androt phones. I think they are more reliable and easier to fix then the pear phones,”

Aku raised his eyebrows, leaning backwards, keeping the pitifully lost look on his face.

“I’m sure your opinion is correct,” he said, glancing back over at the wall of phones, seeing that they were all pears, he moved to where she had been looking before and she followed.

“I was thinking of upgrading to this after my next paycheck,” she told him, blushing pink and tapping on one of the androts.

Aku feigned great interest, leaning forward. She unconsciously mirrored him.

“You like this size better or ?”

“This phone is slightly bigger because it has a more powerful battery,” she told him in an excited whisper, completely unaware that she was holding her purse dangerously close to Aku’s hand. “I get tired of my phone dying so fast, don’t you?”

“Oh, yes I do,” he agreed, “What about the internet? Does yours have a consistent connection?” Aku asked, gingerly removing her current cellphone from her bag and switching hands behind his back to pocket it. She smiled at the phone in front of her.

“Oh I’ve never had too much of a problem. Though I live in the city, so internet is usually close.”

“Yes,” Aku said distractedly. “Oh, excuse me, I’ve lost track of the time,” he said, walking past her and Jack on the way out, taping him on the shoulder. Jack apologized to the clerk, and followed suit. Leaving the woman quite confused.

Once outside Jack saw the phone in a used case, cracked slightly on the corners. He quickly gleaned what had just happened. Aku was still walking back up the path, away from the store and all the people on the street.

“You lied to me!” Hissed Jack as quietly as he could while also sounding angry. He pointed at the phone,“You said you would not—”

Aku raised his eyebrows, “You would have stopped me if I had told you what I was doing. Also, technically I did not lie. I did not steal a phone form the store. I stole a phone from that woman and trust me, s _he will survive_.” He told Jack in a stern, unforgiving voice.

Jack glared, “You will give it back to her when you are finished.”

Aku sighed, “Yes, I will give this back to the girl. Then when the Shadow Sisters come looking for her it will throw them off our trail.”

“What?!” Jack glared, baring his teeth, “You-!? How?”

Aku smiled, raising his eyebrows before turning on the phone and clicking buttons.

“If I do not call them off, they will keep searching for you. This is more important than-”

“Decency.” Jack growled, crossing his arms.

Aku sighed dramatically, cutting Jack off in his path.

“What?”

“Samurai,” he said in a voice he usually reserved for seductive persuasion, “Shut up and listen to me, will you? I was thinking through his last night when you fell asleep,”

Jack glared and crossed his arms. Aku tried not to laugh, the expression struck him as almost cute. But getting punched would not be so cute, so he reigned it in.

“If we asked to borrow the phone, we would have to give it back.”

“Yes!” Jack agreed irritably.

“Yes. The Shadow Sisters may be able to track the phone,”

“Track... the phone?”

“Yes,” Aku agreed again in exasperation, “If I used a land line— That means a... phone connected to a specific location. Then they would have the option to burn the place down or attack its inhabitants.”

Jack blinked, tilting his head.

“They may come looking for me. Perhaps to find out why find out I’m missing, Jack. If they think the people had something to do with it or that they know something—”

“Okay..” Jack agreed, frowning.

“The same thing can happen with a cell phone, they could find its owner. But only if it still exists...”

“What?”

“It’s more complicated than that, I’m going to reset the phone and call from a blank number—Ack, look,” he said, quickly loosing his patience, “It has to be destroyed afterwords. Or the girl could be in danger.”

“Why could we not have used a phone connected with no one?”

Aku rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, “If I actually took the phone out of the shop it would have set off an alarm. We could have gotten a burner phone, but that would require us getting quite friendly with some rather _unsavory types_.” He smiled deviously at Jack, “And I would not trust you _not_ to catch their attention,”

Jack folded his arms again, “I do not like it,”

“You do not have to like it,” Aku told him, clicking rapidly into the phone, “You just have to not die.”

Aku stepped back beside him and they continued walking. Jack watched as Aku continued to do… _whatever_ he was doing with the phone.

“You were not worried about those people were you?” Jack asked incredulously.

“People?”

“The store owners and the girl that the phone belonged to,”

“Oh,” Aku looked away, biting his lip, “Not really.”

“Then why did you do that? Not to say I am unhappy about the thought you put into it but—”

“I did it for you,” Aku said rolling his eyes, “So I would not be forced to listen to you afterwards,”

Jack sighed, scratching his head in annoyance, “I suppose that is better than nothing.”

Together they wandered down an old dirt road. Aku had put the phone away some time ago. Jack wasn’t sure what he was doing now, but he did not feel like arguing and he wanted to get as much distance between himself and the Shadow Sisters as possible. Jack lead Aku on a silent march through several small towns, a pathway between farms, and into another town. Aku walked into the trees without Jack prompting and Jack blinked in surprise. He was getting tired now, even though it was early, he was still aching from yesterday.

Once they had traveled far enough off the beaten path, to where Aku felt they would be better hidden and not heard he took the phone out again. He coughed awkwardly, staring at the phone in his hand. Jack sat a few feet away on a fallen log, patiently watching, and looking exhausted.

Aku’s hand trembled slightly as he stared at the number on the screen. This had never been a problem before. He didn’t understand what he was even afraid of.Looking at Jack seemed like admitting failure, so he just grumbled and paced back and forth over the grass.

Fall would be here soon. Jack took inventory of al the different trees slowly shifting. Some were still bright green, the pines of course would stay, but the oaks had singed themselves slightly yellow. There was also that telling scent that the wind carried that agreed with the yellowing leaves. He wanted to enjoy being in this moment, he crossed his legs under himself and concentrated on breathing. Feeling every part of his body like a scan from top to bottom and bottom to top and then carefully counting the sounds of the environment. But part of his conscience mind could not ignore the rustling of grass as Aku paced back and forth.

Jack could practically see the anxiety.

“Aku,” Jack said gently and Aku paused in his pacing to glare down at him.

“What?”

“Are you alright?”

Aku stared for a moment, taken aback, and then looked at the phone again. Jack hoped he’d caught him off guard enough to get an actual answer, but he seemed to be catching onto Jack’s ‘plot’ very quickly.

“Yes. Thinking.” he muttered. He started slowly pacing again.

“They cannot see you through the phone, can they?”

Aku squinted, “No, I turned off the camera. It was actually already covered with tape though. People tend to be paranoid,”

Jack shook his head, “Will you be able to call them?”

“I have too, I only have 30% battery left.”

“Then… why—”

“I am thinking!” Aku hissed and Jack put his hands up, shrugging. Aku drug his black fingernails through his hair and wandered further into the woods.

“Aku ?”

“I will be back,” he said irritably, “Just stay there.”

Jack chose not to start a fire that night. Partially just because he didn’t want too, all he wanted to do was sleep until his aching ribs and burning muscles went back to normal. Waiting for Aku, listening to the distant echo of his voice, he felt vaguely anxious. But why would Aku run from him now?

Jack tried to relax.

And it must have worked. He opened his eyes and everything was black. Crickets were singing loudly around him and the moon was bright amongst the stars. It was the middle of the night. For a moment he wondered what had woken him until he heard the soft breathing. He played ‘dead’, keeping his eyes shut as he searched around himself with his other senses. He recognized Aku’s scent, and realized he was sitting beside him, staring at him. Jack thought about telling him off when he felt very tentative fingers in his hair. Every hair on his body stood on end. He struggled to remain relaxed and keep breathing as if he were asleep.

It was barely a touch at all. So light it was nearly painful as he gently smoothed over his hair. Jacks scalp was practically vibrating. After a few minutes of this, Aku became bold enough to pull the pin from his bun and Jack felt his hair fall across his face and neck. His body twitched at the sensation and Aku stopped. He waited, probably to see if Jack would wake up. When Jack continued to lay still he moved Jacks hair out of his face with more shocking gentleness. One lock at a time, until his hair was arranged to one side where Aku could easily finger comb it. Jack was so stunned at this point he wasn’t even sure he _could_ move anymore.

The attention was so confusing. His body was buzzing pleasantly with the soft sensations, but his mind panicked and his heart stuttered in wonder at the attention giver. What was the meaning of this?

Jack remembered how tentative his touch had been when he was still tied up in the circle. It had felt gentle and curious. Even if Aku’s comments were not so.

Ikra had been playful. Bordering on _more_ than friendly at times. All this time he’d just... well he tried unsuccessfully to forget it, but when he wasn’t doing that he assumed that the provocative gestures and flirtatious comments were just part of the act. To throw him off. But here Aku acted remarkably similar. Like he was quietly harboring some kind of...

He couldn’t even mentally finish the sentence.

It was not possible.

Aku’s hand moved over his neck and shoulders. Jack felt himself slowly turning into a liquid. He hovered somewhere between a relaxed high and unconsciousness.

“Tsk,” Aku clicked. Jack was so liquified at this point, he didn’t even have to rest responding to the noise, hits body did not want too. “What shall I do when you stop pretending to tolerate me ?” Aku inquired in a breath very close to his ear. “I will be so very… disappointed.”

Jack couldn’t move. He couldn’t really feel his fingers anymore. He heard Aku finally lay down beside him.

Was is so unreasonable, really, for Aku to find Jack, at least physically, to some measure, attractive? His brain stuttered and he felt his chest tighten at the thought. Heat flooded his whole body. Well... Jack at least felt some measure of ... of attraction. He opened his eyes, peering down at Aku, who seemed to be mostly asleep himself.

Jack gingerly laid beside Aku and rested his head at his shoulder between his arm and ribs. The warmth caught him first, but then the sort of smokey smell that Aku somehow carried with him everywhere took him over as well. The world blurred as he listened to a heartbeat that wasn’t his, and fell deeply asleep.


	13. Beads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> D::::

Ania gasped and turned quickly to the sound of shuffling. She leaned forward, squinting into the nearby Forrest of carts. Big and small, parked higglety pigglety she could hardly tell one shadow from the next. She leaned to one side and then another, timidly peering around.

“Hello?” She said softly, but there was no reply.

Ania quickly turned back to her own cart, packing up her beads quickly.

Another snap made her whirl around, hand over her heart, listening.

There was just a hint of flickering light down the path before her. She leaned back against her cart, wide eyed as the flame moved out into the open, followed equidistantly by a second one.

She dropped the last basket and ran, dodging between carts.

She screamed when she heard a loud crash, seeing just a hint of the domino effect of one cart hitting another just off to her left. Fire swallowed the world behind her. She peered over her shoulder to see the red fire rising high like a wave and turned forward, tumbling over her feet as she tried to stop.

She shook in terror, staring at the light absorbing darkness smoking in front of her. Slowly, slowly , she turned her head up to see the pitiless flaming eyes and horns of the demon.

“Aku,” she whispered, bowing quickly, “What have I done to h-have the honor of your presence,”

She squeaked when her head was ripped back up by her hair and she felt terrified tears running down her cheeks.

Where was Ana? _Did Aku know about Ana_? She looked up, quivering and saw a strand of colorful glass beads in his hand. She gasped.

“Wha... what?”

Was Jack _dead_?

Aku held the beads out again.

“There are no more, Master Aku,” she told him.

There was a yelp. Blood splattered across the street and Ania fell, cold, unable to breath, bleeding out on the stones.


	14. Trust Fall

Jack shook Aku gently.

“Whaaaaat?!” He hissed, annoyed.

“It is time for us to travel. The sun had been up.”

Aku moaned and sat up slowly, shaking his ever tangled hair out of his face.

Jack smiled, “You look like you are in need of a bath, and perhaps clean clothes,”

Aku scoffed, scrubbing his hand over his face. “How in the name of any Gods do you live like this all the time?” He demanded, sitting up straight and hissing as every bone in his body seemed to crack, “Hungry, tired, injured, and constantly wandering, endless wandering!” he moaned, standing up and stretching again.

Jack shook his head, “It is difficult.” He admitted, “Perhaps now that you understand, you will be more merciful when you are back to yourself,”

Aku barked out a laugh, pulling off his jacket to take in the sun. “Yes, your hotel room shall now be off limits! But the moment you step outside, then it is _ON_ again,”

Jack snickered, “How very considerate of you,” he rolled his eyes.

“Aku can be reasonable,”

Jack shook his head again, “Did you ever manage to call the—”

“Yes,” Aku said quickly. His posture became noticeably uncomfortable, “I broke the phone into many bits and buried it. They should not be able to track anything.”

“Good,” he paused, looking Aku up and down, “What did you say to them?”

“Nothing interesting,” he told Jack, smoothing out his torn shirt, “When they heard my voice they panicked and begged for mercy, which I gave them. I gave them a new task,”

“Which is what?”

“I told them to turn those factories into houses for their members, so they can stay together. It should take them months to even begin _cleaning_ that place,”

Jack smiled, “That is tame for you,”

Aku shrugged, “Mmm, trying not to be in trouble takes a great deal of effort,”

Jack smiled, “Let us find food and supplies.”

“I saw another town further down the road last night. The brightness in the distance,”

Jack stretched himself out before hiking back out of the woods toward the dirt road. He was already feeling much better. The thought of food and taking a bath were taking up pleasant residence in his mind. He could hear Aku humming to himself, though he couldn’t tell if he was having some internal argument or just making weird noises.

Hearing Aku saying he was, ’Trying not to be in trouble,’ also replayed in his mind a few times as well. It made him smile in the sunlight. Maybe today would be a good day.

Aku walked a few paces behind, thinking about the phone call. He just could not do it in front of Jack. He supposed it was something like stage fright, since he felt like he was _pretending_ to be Aku. Of course, he knew who he was, but the vulnerability for him was horrid. Just knowing that even though his voice sounded like his own through a phone... he was still very trapped in this body. He could hear the distinct lack of echoing power behind his speech now, and it was unsettling.

In front of him, Jack put his hands behind his head, leisurely looking at the trees as they went along. Aku stared for a moment, the samurai seemed be in a very good mood. Since Jack could not see him, he let his eyes wander. Even through the thick fabric of his gi, his muscles were obvious. An awful curiosity had been overwhelming him since he’d found him tied up… and he didn’t know if it was also because he was in this human body or… Aku didn’t think so. There had been moments before where Jack had seemed _much_ more interesting then other humans to him. So strong for a human, so nimble, and all these thoughts made him feel something vaguely like hunger every time they occurred.

Last night he’d given into some of his curiosity. All the time’s he’d seen Jack’s hair become a mess during a fight had been burned into his mind, and he found the idea of his long black hair extremely appealing. Aku didn’t really understand. What did his interest mean? What was he supposed to do with this obtuse fascination? In an effort to relieve the itch in his fingers, he’d touched it and found to his ever deepening confusion, that _he really liked it_. His hair was thick and soft and it’d been an effort to stop himself from playing with it for much longer.

He wondered if Jack had noticed that his hair had been unpinned. He had not said anything. It couldn’t be that unusual though, to wake up with your hair messed up? His own hair seemed to constantly be tangled, like it had a mind of its own. He swallowed uncomfortably, the vague feeling of hunger was growing hot in his stomach again.

Jack looked back at him, “You are very quiet today,” he said, looking very at ease.

Aku stared at him. Jack raised his eyebrows. _Oh, right, he was supposed to respond to that._

“Yes,” was all he said, blinking quickly.

Jack fell back into pace beside him, “Are you alright?”

Aku scoffed, “Stop trying to catch me off guard with _politeness,_ ”

Jack sighed, letting his arms fall to his side, “Then what shall I do? You will not be honest with me otherwise,”

Aku shrugged, grimacing slightly. The heat was getting worse and turning into a painful discomfort quite similar to the one he’d had last night. Jack smiled at him patiently and Aku rolled his eyes.

“Yes, I am fine. I am… thinking about Nebula.”

Jack blinked and then nodded seriously, “Yes, I think we should try and discuss how you might get your powers back, I think?”

“Do we need to be in danger?”

Jack laughed, “I truly hope not,”

Aku smirked and was ready to speak when the shrill scream of a little girl shot through the air.

Jack froze only for a second, glancing at Aku.

“Where?”

Aku blinked, “I think,” he pointed towards the noise. The samurai was off like a bullet. Aku stood stunned for a moment before running after him.

Another scream cut through the space as Jack sprinted past the sign that said “Welcome”, and into another town. As people and cars rolled in his way, he climbed a building and looked out over the roofs.

An angry crowd was running through an ally just below him. Jack crouched, peering down at the group. There, in a blue robe, was a familiar flash of red hair and Jack gasped. It was the little girl, the daughter of the bead seller.

Ana scrambled over a fence and rolled off the side of a trash bin, crashing into the concrete below before scrambling up and running on. The crowd after her were taller, they climbed faster, and she let out one more panicked scream before latching onto a gutter and climbing up. Jack hurried along the edge of his roof, watching her climb. Below her the crowd was shouting. Ana grasped the very edge of the gutter and struggled to pull herself up. Jack dropped to the ground just behind the crowd.

One of the people picked up a can and threw it, unleashing a storm of people throwing rocks and trash, screaming at her to fall.

She tumbled off the roof and Jack shouldered three people as he barreled towards her, catching her at the very last moment. He rolled to keep from falling on her. Trembling and halflimp in his arms, Ana cried. Jack stood up straight, barring his teeth at the crowd.

“What are you doing man?” Someone yelled.

“Why do you throw rocks at this little girl?” Jack called back in shocked disgust. People all looked in different directions, muttering.

“Aku has send a wanted poster out for her,”

Jack balked.

“Yeah just turn her over, get it over with. Otherwise he might come here himself!” Another yelled to shouts of aggressive agreement.

One man approached Jack from the side and Jack backed away, tensing and ready to fight.

“Wait!” A woman with wild pink hair yelled from the back of the crowd, coming forward to point.

“Aren’t you Samurai Jack?!”

Suddenly all the faces were upon him again.

“You are mistaken,” Jack said bitterly.

“Look at his clothes!” the woman said, “He looks like the wanted posters, he even has a sword!”

“Well well well, no wonder you’re beings so disobedient,” said a creature with a mans voice. He was wearing a cowboy hat and baggy clothes over substantial bulk. “Ain’t you a sight for sore eyes? I wonder what the two of you’d be worth to our old Master Aku,” he said, stepping out of the crowd towards him.

“ **That’s enough**!”

Jack froze in surprise and so did everyone else, seeming stunned still by the sound. People turned to see who had yelled and one of them fell over as Aku shoved them out of the way. The man in a hat turned his body towards the noise without moving his legs, like he couldn’t believe the audacity.

“Who the fuck do you think-“

Aku held up a hand, flashing dangerous eyes, “Quiet idiot,” 

Jack blinked, adjusting Ana in his arm and felt her shakily put her arms around his shoulders. He could hear the soft crying.

“Hey, mister!” The girl from earlier yelled out, pointing at Jack and Ana, “Aku has a hit out on these two, do you have any idea how much money that’s worth?”

Jack compulsively looked to see Aku’s expression. He found it difficult not to laugh as Aku rolled his eyes nearly back in the sockets.

“Haven’t you fools heard that _Sa-mu-rai Jack_ has been spotted in the marshes to the south?”

“So what? He-He’s fast!”

Aku paced calmly in front of Jack with his hands on his hips, everyone had their eyes on him, like he was under a spotlight.

_He is in his element._ Jack realized. The fearless posture, over confident words, and intense eyes, which had all infuriated him greatly so many times, suddenly were a relief.

“Get out of my way, you motherfucker,” said the man in the hat, and Jack saw the glint of metal under his sleeve.

Aku slowly tilted his head at the man, as if he were bored out of his mind.

“No,” he said simply and then pointed down the alley, “Leave,”

“He wants the bounty for himself!” Said the cyborg in a hat, pulling a gun from his baggy shirt. Jack reflexively turned so Ana would be behind him.

The man jerked forward and the crack happened faster then Jack could process at first.

Aku was still standing in front of him with on hand on his hip and the other dangling at his side. The man was bent over, covering his face as blood splattered all over the ground from his _very_ broken nose. Aku had palmed him in the nose from below so hard he’d dropped his gun. Jack balked.

“I do not _appreciate_ the _threats_. Do not make me hurt you again,”

Several people backed away, gawking. The man from earlier stepped forward, wielding a bat and Aku raised his eyebrows.

“You dare to disobey the Master of Darkness?!”

Aku smirked. Immediately, this was taken the wrong way. The man came at him with the bat and Aku sidestepped him, punching him square in the center of his collar bones. Jack watched the second man go down, wheezing in pain and shock, Aku still glaring down at him.

Jack got a sudden sharp vision of Aku finishing them where they lay and hurried to his side.

“I think we should leave,” Jack said quickly and Aku looked back, like he’d forgotten Jack was there.

“Yes...” he said, a little drunkenly. Jack pulled Ana up a little further with one arm and took Aku’s wrist with the other. Aku followed Jack between two buildings away from his recovering victims.

“Thank you,” Jack said quickly to Aku, though he wasn’t sure if it was for helping him or _not continuing_ to help him.

“Who is this child?” Aku asked, confused.

“Let us go first, away from here,”

Aku sighed in frustration, “So we are going back into the woods?”

“Do you have a better idea?” Jack asked, annoyed.

“You can come to my home,” said Ana in a small voice. Aku tilted his head like he was amazed she could speak.

Jack looked at her, “Are you sure? People might follow,”

“Thank you for helping me, Samurai Jack,” she said, her eyes red from exhaustion and tears. Jack slowly put her down.

“You are called Ana?”

She nodded.

“What has happened, Ana?” Jack asked, kneeling.

She wavered and Jack put his hands on her shoulders, concern etched into his face.

“My home is this way,” she said, turning on autopilot. She turned, took his hand and pulled him.

Aku hesitated, face scrunched in confusion, until Jack looked back and jerked his head to say, _come on_. So he followed. They walked on for a long time, Jack half bent over as he watched the path for Ana. She seemed completely out of her body, zombie-like, stumbling, and sometimes limping as she lead.

On they went, in a curving path, hoping Ana still knew where she was going.

Jack and Aku paused when Ana lead them off the path into a bright clearing. Before them was was a pale stone house with wide dark wood windows and a low sloping roof. It had several chimneys and a half wrap around porch on the left side. To the right was a gently flowing creek with a slowly turning waterwheel. All around the home were ancient looking trees and fields of flowers, some nearly as tall as the trees. They glanced at one another and then followed Ana.

The girl unlocked the door shakily and pushed it open, limping inside a few steps before stoping and looking back.

“C-come on in, please, make yourselves comfortable,”

Jack took off his geta and left them beside the door. His concern was quickly mounting. Ana disappeared into a room just beyond the cosy living room and Jack turned to Aku, grasping him by the shoulders. Aku raised his eyebrows.

“What?”

“Do not tell her who you are,” Jack said seriously,

“Ah, alright?”

“Ana is the daughter of the bead seller,” he continued quickly. Akus eyes grew wide.

“Oh? Is that how you know her?”

Jack shook him and Aku grimaced.

“What? Jack, what?”

“When I met them they were very afraid of you,”

Aku shrugged noncommittally, “That is not unusual—”

“Yes, I know that,” Jack hissed, “But I do not know what is happening so do not frighten her further, please. Do you understand?”

Aku shrugged and at the heated glare he received he nodded.

“What if she asks for my name?” He asked curiously.

“I will refer to you as, Yin.”

Aku narrowed his eyes, “Wha-? That isn’t even Japanese-”

“Well ‘In’ will be harder for her to say than ‘Yin’,” Jack said, raising his eyebrows.

Aku shook his head in disbelief, “And you came up with that name because…?”

Jack smirked, “It’s better for me than Ikra,”

Aku glared, “You!?—”

Before Aku could continue, Jack turned around and walked into the room, looking at the art on the walls and the soft furniture. He could hear Aku cursing him in a quiet voice, but he ignored it.

Ana came out of the kitchen with a tray of food that was still in packages, her eyes wide and blank. She stared at Jack for a moment before putting the tray on the coffee table and then switched to staring at Aku. Aku blinked down at her from across the room.

“Hello,” she said, as if she hadn’t noticed him until now, “My name is Ana,”

“Hi,” Aku murmured awkwardly.

“Ana,” Jack said gently, “Will you sit and eat with us?”

She mutely nodded and sat on the floor beside the coffee table. Jack sat on the floor beside her. Jack peered at Aku who still had not moved from the door.

“Actually, you know, I forgot- I’ll be back.” He said, hurrying back outside and closing the door behind him. Jack saw him walk out into the path to pace. He sighed and looked over the little paper packages and gently took one to unwrap. Here there were small sandwiches and little cakes as if they were going to have a tea party. Jack placed food in front of her, and she stared blearily at it as well before picking it up and taking a bite of a sandwich.

Jack watched as she chewed disinterestedly, her eyes red and lips pale, she shook in silence.

“Miss Ana,” Jack said softly, “May I ask you, where is your mother?”

Ana choked, bending over, spitting the food on the ground. Jack jumped, putting his hand on her back gently as she was wracked with painful sobs.

“Samurai Jack,” she moaned, tears absolutely streaming down her round face, “I saw it. I saw it from a window... she...” she locked up in sobs “Aku!” She cried.

Jack flinched in surprise.

“What?” He glanced at the window fearfully. Had she figured it out already?

“He has come for us,” she moaned pitifully, wiping her mouth on her sleeve.

Jack stood, hurrying to bring her a cloth. She took it with quaking fingers and covered her face as she cried again.Jack cleaned up the food and pushed the coffee table away, putting his arm on her back again.

“I’m sorry,” she choked, “I am so sorry,”

“No,” Jack said soothingly, “Take your time,”

“My mother,” she wheezed, Jacks heart began to hammer as a cold feeling climbed over him.

“It is okay,” he said softly, “Take your time,”

She scrubbed her eyes angrily and then looked back up at him, “He came for us, Aku came for us.”

Jacks eyebrows furrowed, “Came for you? You mean… after I saw you last?”

She nodded, wiping her nose and eyes again as she wept.

“He set the fire in the market square.” She whimpered, “It was so hot, it burned the stones flat! And I… I couldn’t get to her, the stone melted when I touched it, and I couldn’t get to her…"

“Your mother, she was caught in the fire?”

She shook her head, turning a sickly grey, Jack held her up so that she did not collapse.

“If you need a moment, I can help you—”

“Slit her throat,” she wheezed. Staring into the distance, pale and terrified.

Jack froze, his eyes going wide.

“I saw him. Aku killed her and left her in the fire in the market square. Then I tried to come home and people were after me,” she said, wiping her nose on the cloth again and then wrapping her arms around her knees.

Jack softly stroked her hair, trying to process the words. Outside he could still see Aku, human, anxiously pacing back and forth.

“I will help you, Ana,” Jack said softly, “Do not worry,”

“Thank you, Samurai Jack,” she said, “‘not, hungry,” she added, standing slowly and wandering down the hall to the right, “There are more bedrooms down the steps,” she said in that same autopilot voice. Jack sat frozen, listening to her wander into what he assumed to be a bedroom and the creek of a small body on mattress springs. He wanted to follow her, but he was not sure how to help. He felt his fists clenching and he closed his eyes to calm himself.

He did not see how this could be true… But he knew that Ana was not lying. Unless…

He stood up and walked out the door, forgetting his shoes entirely as he grasped Aku by the upper arm.

“Samurai—” Aku began and then saw the look on Jacks face and went pale.

“Come. Now.” Jack growled dragging Aku by the sleeve harshly out towards a path through the flowers. Aku stumbled, out the door and after him along the path.

“What is happening?” Aku asked nervously.

Jack ignored him, pushing him to walk in front, down the garden path. His face scrunched in a rage as he moved away to where they could talk without interruption.

“Where are you taking me?” Aku demanded.

Jack bared his teeth and Aku paled slightly, hurrying down the path. He paused when they got to the center of a faux maze, looking around the tall flowers. Aku’s heart was pounding as he looked at Jack.

The samurai’s posture was painfully familiar but he was at a loss to why he was seeing it. He shifted uncomfortably. “What is happening?” he asked again, tensely. 

“You lied to me about your powers,” Jack said shortly.

“ _What_?” Aku balked, tilting his head.

“Ana says she _saw_ you! She saw you _as a demon,_ Aku! Setting flames to the market square! She says she saw you _kill her mother_.” Jack stared with bitter disappointment written all over his face.

Aku snapped his mouth shut, staring in confusion at Jack.

“This is impossible,” Aku said softly, holding his hands out palm up, “I was with you, remember?”

“You walked away with that phone, last night. I didn’t see you for a long time.”

“I walked just out a little farther! I _did not_ leave you!”

“Even if you did come back after the phone. That matters very little if you have your powers back, Aku. When I was asleep you could have teleported. You could have done anything,”

Aku’s mouth dropped open and he stuttered, “W-What?! Why would I _choose_ to live in this mortal body if I had my powers back?!”

Jack glared coldly and Aku stepped back, tensing further.

To Aku, the world seemed to be slowly tilting sideways and he clenched his fists like he was trying to hold on. This conversation had thrown him through a mental loop and the look Jack was giving him… Aku felt horribly exposed, unprepared for an actual fight with the Samurai.

“Ana says she saw you. As a demon.” Jack growled, “She saw you traveling through darkness and summoning fire. How do you explain this?”

Aku held out his arms, “I was WITH you, Jack! I would have told you if I had gotten my powers back!”

“Why?”

“What??”

“Why would you tell me anything. If you need me to help you get rid of Nebula, you would do anything to coerce me into it, would you not?”

Aku blanched. Feeling numbness climbing over his shoulders. He could see Jacks point clearly... Air seemed to be growing thinner and his head started to pound.

“I didn’t,” he whispered, blinking rapidly, “I only was able to use my powers when I came to get you from the Shadow Sisters,”

Jacks scowl just furthered, “It is convenient, isn’t it?”

Aku felt sweat on his forehead. He did not see a way out of this debate.

“Samurai, it was not me.” he said quietly, “I swear I do not have my powers back. I did not leave your side that night. I could not have killed anyone,”

Jack drew his sword slowly and Aku paled, backing up once again.

“Summon fire,” Jack said coldly.

Aku stared at the sword, heart pounding in his throat, the world seesawed back and forth, “I cannot…” he muttered.

Jack drew closer and Aku fell backwards, stumbling onto his hands and knees in fright. He was aware that he was breathing oddly, like he was drowning, but he couldn’t seem to catch his breath.

“Okay, okay, okay,” he said, holding his hands up, “I will... see if I am capable,”

Jack growled, unblinking. Watching carefully.

Aku had a difficult time looking away from the sword, but he finally did, looking at his palms wearily. He pushed his hair out of his face and held out his arms, spreading his fingers. Nothing happened.

Aku was panting now, shaking in fear as he willed himself to bring fire.

Nothing happened.

Jack stepped closer and Aku scrambled back to his feet, face absolutely white.

“Samurai, I did not. You must believe me, I did not do it, you can see I still do not have my powers!”

Jack said nothing, stepping closer again, he held out the sword and Aku gasped as he backed into the thick bramble of tall wildflowers. Nowhere to run in, Jack could and absolutely would out maneuver him here anyway. Aku breathed harshly, bringing his hands up over his chest, grimacing.

“You promised you would not kill me while I was human,” he whispered out of final desperation.

“Are you human?” He growled.

“Yes!” He screamed back, angry and terrified.

“Give me your left hand,” Jack said sharply,

Aku blinked, shakily holding out his hand. Jack grasped him roughly by the wrist and lowered the blade to his palm. Aku looked away, grinding his teeth.

Jack gently ran the edge of the sharp sword over his palm. Blood ran over the edges of Aku’s hand and he began to quake.

Jack wiped off his sword, put it away, and took Aku’s hand in both of his. He studied the blood and then touched it gently, brining it closer to his eyes. It was red. And it was not misting at the edges, he looked at the small cut again and saw that Aku’s hand was not instantly healing. Jack sighed.

“You must understand why it is difficult for me to trust you,” Jack whispered sternly, releasing him.

Aku brought his bloody hand to his chest, glaring at Jack.

“I do,” he hissed through tightly gritted teeth, “But I did not kill the bead woman, I didn’t set fire to anything, and I have not been away from you for weeks! _At least believe the logic, Samurai!_ ”

Jack nodded, “Okay,"

“Okay?”

Jack nodded again, “Okay. Let me get you a bandage,”

Aku stared suspiciously at Jack and then his face seemed to go completely expressionless. He closed his eyes, wheezed painfully, and sank to the ground.

“Aku?”

Aku didn’t respond. Jack came closer and put his hand on Aku’s shoulder. He still did not respond. He had fainted.


	15. Advisory Capacity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mostly conversation that turns into painful fluff <333

Jack blinked.

He couldn’t believe it. He’d scared Aku so badly he’d _fainted_? Jack sat down beside him, unsure of what to do now.

A few months ago it would have been an incredible accomplishment but now it just felt all wrong. He’d never really thought about the demon as anxious. A coward maybe, but mostly because he knew when to run from a fight. Actually coward still seemed like the wrong word. It wasn’t like he didn’t fight or defend himself, he was more like... a sore looser.

Still though. He didn’t even know what to make of this information, though the more he looked back the more obvious it seemed to be. Perhaps he just... wasn’t capable of feeling empathy for someone so terrible. Or he just did not see Aku as human in any sense and therefore incapable of emotions besides animalistic rage and sadistic pleasure. He may have seen him as soulless.

No. No, Jack knew that really was not true at all.

He sighed, still at a loss for what to think about what Ana had said. _How?_ How could she see him somewhere where he was not? How many other creatures were capable of shifting into Aku’s shape, display that level of violence, and also command fire?

He was overwhelmed with the sudden fear that Aku was still playing a game. Acting like a victim to disarm him. Compulsively, Jack leaned closer and put two fingers to his neck, finding his skin cold and clammy. He could feel the racing heartbeat. He put his hand on Aku’s forehead and realized he was still shivering. Jack really had pushed him over the edge.

Of course, that didn’t necessarily make him innocent. Yet Something was telling Jack that Aku wasn’t lying.

Jack pictured the entire conversation over in his head, rewatching the body language. It had been... almost submissive. Jack sat up straighter, thinking... if Aku really did not have his powers back, then he was in a very vulnerable position, wasn’t he? Trapped between an armed combatant and impenetrable foliage. Jack could easily overpower him, and though Aku might be naturally faster, Jack was by no means slow, and had much better stamina.

Jack was most definitely still a threat to Aku, actually he was even more of a threat now than he’d ever been. He sighed, guiltily rubbing the back of his neck. But he had to check. It would be foolish not to.

Aku twitched And Jack touched him gently,.

“Aku?”

Aku jumped and Jack put his hands out.

“It is okay,”

Aku was obviously dizzy and confused. Jack helped him to his feet and lead him back into the house.

Jack helped Aku slide down onto one of the soft couches, outside of the bright sunlight. He didn’t even fight Jack when he brought supplies to bandage his hand, not that the cut was actually that bad, but better safe than infected.

Aku slowly seemed to come to himself as he watched Jack tie off the bandage. As soon as Jack felt that Aku was properly awake he asked:

“Are there many other demons that can shape shift?”

“No,” he mumbled, “Just a few,”

“It could be someone working for Nebula. It would not be one of your… minions, would it?”

“Perhaps, but there is a small number of persons capable of shape shifting. Fewer still that can shift _and_ summon fire. It could have been more than one individual…” he shrugged.

“Could it be Nebula?”

Aku growled, “It had better not be.”

Jack hummed thoughtfully, “Do you think there was nightlife around that square?”

Aku raised his eyebrows, “‘ _Night life_ ’?”

“You know,” Jack struggled, “Uh, dancing, parties, that sort of thing.”

“Ah yes, I am sure of it.”

“Would any of those places have had security cameras?” asked Jack. Aku did a double take.

“Probably,”

“We can ask for it,”

Aku sighed, “They will not just hand it over to us,”

Jack pulled the little black rectangle from his gi.

Aku looked even more lost, “A flash drive?”

Jack nodded, “I got this video at the hotel. Why can’t we do that here?”

Aku smiled, impressed, “Well... If you want to try, we should look into it.”

Jack leaned against the couch, “Aku,” Jack said guiltily, twisting his head up to look at Aku who was leaning against the arm rest looking back down at him.Aku raised an eyebrow.

“I am sorry,” he said nervously.

“Shut up, you,” Aku told him angrily.

“I think I scared you quite badly,”

“I am not scared of anything,” he corrected dryly. Jack smiled.

“Why would someone pretend to be you?”

Aku raised an eyebrow, “I don’t know, maybe they are jealous.”

“Or someone wants to draw you out in the open by making _you_ jealous. How much will you be able to withstand watching some one pretend to be Aku.”

Aku instantly looked like he had a migraine, “fuck,”

Jack paused in surprise and then laughed a little, “Well... You cannot play this games or be bated. We must outsmart them,”

Aku sighed, resting his bandaged hand on Jacks shoulder.

“Aku...”

“What?”

“May I ask you a question?

“You are asking me a question.”

Jack squinted but went on, still looking up at him, “What would you do with your life if you stayed human?”

Aku choked, “What?!”

“I am ... curious,” he said, trying to read the lines between the outraged expression.

“I never thought about it,”

“Think of it now?”

Aku blinked a few times, glaring into space, “I ... I do not know anything else besides being myself. I would be angry and... disoriented,”

“Is that how you feel now?”

“Yes,” he sighed,

“But if you got past that... what do you imagine a good human life to be like? What would you do?”

Aku sighed, “I-I do not know. I would… stay with you, I suppose.”

Jack nearly jumped but he managed to keep it down.

“Aku,” he laughed lightly, “Staying with me forever is a long time,”

Jack flinched at the feeling of fingers on his face, turning his head back to Aku’s angry stare.

“You really think I don’t understand time?”

Jack stared, feeling his ears getting hot, “But, you would,.. want to spend your whole life with... me? You are serious?”

“Yes,” Aku said casually, dropping his hand back to Jacks shoulder. “You are the only one I could be comfortable with. I do not know what I would do though,... what do people do?”

Jack smiled, “I do not know what people do. I have spent too much time with you,”

Aku laughed, “What would _you_ do?”

“I would... get married? That is what people are supposed to do I think. Have a family?”

Aku tisked, “Hmm, I meant in _my_ position. What would you do if you had my powers?”

Jack looked up at him again, “That is... difficult to imagine. I would not know what to do with all your powers.”

“Neither do I,” Aku told him, amused, “You would go out in the world and learn of all the many creatures and cultures that share it with you, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes,” he said nodding, “Being immortal sounds exhausting,” he added. He felt Aku’s fingers squeeze slightly into his shoulder.

Jack rested his head and asked, “Is it?”

Aku looked down at him thoughtfully, “It was... tedious. It is better lately,”

Jack looked confused.

“I am not so bored now, but when you are gone...” he smiled, “I think your theory is correct. I will not be happy when you are dead,”

Jack gaped for a moment in confusion.

“You really didn’t kill her, did you?”

Aku glared, “You a steady stabbed me once, isn’t that enough for you??”

Jack smiled, “No-Eh, I meant that lately you seem very different to me. Besides breaking that cyborgs nose and nearly killing the other… guy. Also I did not stab you, I cut you.”

“Or stealing cellphones?” he added, ignoring the last comment.

“Or fighting with the Shadow Sisters,”

“Or having to save you from them?”

Jack smiled and raised an eyebrow, “Is that normal for you? How often did you come to my aid before Nebula showed up?”

Aku smiled and shrugged, “I didn’t. Besides the quick sand. But I meant that I do whatever I want.”

“So saving me... was evil because it was selfish?”

Aku blinked and shrugged, “Something like that,”

Jack shook his head, “When you have your powers back, Aku,”

Aku watched Jack turn around to face him properly, resting his head on his hands.

“Would you perhaps be willing to take advice?”

Aku made that owlish face again and Jack grinned despite himself.

“Are you suggesting that you want to be my advisor?”

Jack shrugged, “I do not want a title like that, I just want to help,”

“Advisor is a step down from prince,”

Jack sighed, “I am not a prince. I am a Samurai,”

“You would have been the overseer of all the people and land in your village,”

Jack paled and stared at the floor.

Aku reached out and touched his jaw again gently, Jack looked back to him sadly.

“I am not asking you to forgive me,”

Jack took in the words slowly.

“Then what are you asking me?”

Aku shrugged, smirking, “Just don’t stab me,”

Jack snickered, “I _did not_ stab you,”


	16. Fragile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I had to split the next part up because it got so long ^^' MORE semi mush. Sort of. o0o

Jack lay awake in bed. It was 4 AM and still dark. The house was very still, cool, and silent save for the soft rain hitting the window high on the wall and the way waterwheel turning rhythmically.

They were laying in a nice bed in the guest room of Ana's house. It was downstairs, yet it had its own door, bathroom, and half kitchen. He put his arms behind his head and sighed, trying to enjoy the tranquility. He knew it was odd that they were in the same bed, even if he was above the sheets, but Aku had refused to let Jacks discomfort keep them from a ‘real bed.’ That’s what he’d said anyway. Odd. _Them_ , he’d said, he was thinking about _both of them_ like it was a given.

_His whole world was different now. He felt more or less comfortable laying right beside Aku, who was out cold. It was all just…odd._

_“I can as sleep on the couch,” Jack had told Aku._

_Aku just gave him a withering look, “Samurai, you are going to stay up here alone?”_

_His tone implied heavily that Jack was being unreasonable, but he didn’t think that was unreasonable._

_“Why not?”_

_“Because nobody will have your back,” he said squinting, “And I do not want you to attack me again because you think I’ve gone somewhere when I have not,” he added scathingly._

_“There is only one—“_

_“It is better than the ground, the floor, or a couch, besides...”_

_Jack blinked at him._

_Aku faltered and shrugged, “Just sleep downstairs,”_

So here he was, uncomfortable with the fact that he was comfortable. Jack peered down at Aku, laying on the outside half of the bed, away from the wall (because he did not want to be trapped), seemingly at peace with Jack, just inches away from him. He had said he would stay with Jack if he stayed human and he really had seemed earnest.

Jack looked over at him curiously.He could almost admit to feeling that same sense of kinship he had with Ikra. They just _understood_ each other in a way nobody else would be able to. He reached out gently and pushed a strand of hair out of Aku’s closed eyes.

“Mm?”

“Nothing,” Jack said softly,

Apparently he was not as deeply asleep as he’d thought. He saw sleepy green eyes peering over at him.

“I did not mean to wake you,”

Aku turned onto his side, facing Jack, “You are awake?”

Jack nodded.

“Why?”

“Oh… I do not know, I just... woke up.”

Aku stared at him with that unaffected expression, totally fine with Jack knowing he was staring at him.

Aku sat up slowly, grimacing as he moved, and kicked the blankets out from underneath himself. Jack raised his eyebrows.

“You are cold,” Aku told him, motioning for him to move the blankets.

“I am fine,”

Aku raised his eyebrows, “No. You are used to being uncomfortable. You are cold.”

Jack gave in and moved the blankets over himself. Much to his chagrin he instantly felt better. Aku smirked, laying back down on his side and sighing as he relaxed again.

A few hours later Aku woke up again. He begrudgingly opened his eyes. His head was pounding.

Groaning, he gingerly slid out of the bed and went into the bathroom, turning on the shower just to feel cold water on his face. His left hand was pulsing as if his heart had moved down into his arm. He shoved at the door to close it and pulled off his clothes, sitting under the cold water before peeling off the bandages. He grit his teeth when he realized the gauze had heeled partly into the skin of his palm and pulled it off before he had time to ponder how much it would hurt.

A high his left him and he slammed his head back against the tiles and pressing his right hand into his left. He could smell the blood. His head spun horribly and he sat up straight, gasping as nausea overcame him.

A pained noise jolted him out of sleep. Jack sat up and tossed off the blankets, hurrying over to the bathroom door, finding it slightly open.

“What is wrong?” He asked.

Aku just hissed in response. Jack paused, wondering if whatever it was worth invading Aku’s privacy over, since he could hear the the water running. The smell of copper clinging to humid air made the decision for him as he pushed open the door. Blood was in the water, on the floor of the shower, and disappearing into the drain. He knelt beside Aku, who was grimacing, eyes closed, white knuckling one hand with the other. He saw the bandages on the ground beside him.

“Aku,” Jack said softly, to let him know he’d come closer and Aku’s green eyes peered sideways at him through soaked black curls of hair. Jack reached down and took hold of Aku’s right wrist and lead him to hold his hands up, pulling them above his head. Aku was almost as pale as he’d been to for before he’d fainted, but now he also looked sick, like he hadn’t slept in days.

Jack gently convinced Aku to let go of his left hand and looked over the damage. He sighed, helping him keep his hand above his head to alleviate the blood pressure. Aku just stared forward at nothing, grinding his teeth.

“Why are you in cold water?” Jack asked confused. Aku just shook his head. “Hands tend to bleed a lot,” he told him, “The cut does not look worse, it has just reopened,”

Aku still did not respond. Jack frowned, he was getting cold just holding his hand under the water, and Aku was completely soaked.

Jack slowly let go and moved over to the faucet, fiddling with it to make the water warm.

Aku gasped and Jack looked nervously over. He was shaking again, still holding his hand over his head as the bleeding quickly slowed. Yet he looked sickly white, nearly looking bruised around his eyes. He rested his head on his knees.

Jack began to get up but froze when Aku grasped him by the wrist. He came closer, sitting cross legged. Here he could feel the shower misting him as his clothes and gi grew heavier.

“Are you sick?” Jack asked gently, and Aku sighed, squinting.

“No. My head...”

_Oh._ Jack nodded.

“What is the reason for this pain?”

Jack hummed, “Perhaps you are dehydrated,”

Aku rolled his eyes.

“What?”

“Humans are so fragile,”

Jack laughed, “Yes, sometimes,”

Jack had a feeling that it was probably a tension headache, maybe even a stress migraine, considering the day before. He chose not to mention these thoughts.

Once he had his hand back, Jack opened the cabin beneath the sink and found various soaps and a first aid kit. He placed them next to Aku. Aku just watched him, seeming quite subdued by the headache.

Jack took Aku’s left hand to clean again, and Aku hissed.

“You may feel better if you get properly clean. It usually makes me feel better,”

Aku nodded slowly and did not stop Jack when he got up to leave the second time.

Aku scrubbed his hair until he was sure it would be a different color, washed his skin until it felt completely raw and sighed when he felt the soap wash the dirt off his face. Gods. His head still hurt. But he did feel better. He leaned against the shower wall, and checked on his left hand. It had stopped bleeding. It was warm in there…

Suddenly there was a knock and Aku jerked in surprise.

“What!?”

“Yin?” Ana called from just outside and Aku blinked in surprise.

“Yeah?”

“I made cookies, uhm, are you okay?”

“Good for you?”

She laughed, “Can I share them with you?”

Aku sat up and dragged himself across the tile to turn off the sink and wrap himself in a towel. He opened the door and gave frowned at her. She looked him up and down in surprise.

“You don’t have any clothes to change into, do you?”

“No,” he said, glancing at the clothes he’d thrown onto the floor.

“Hold on, I have some stuff,” she said, setting the trey of cookies she’d brought on the bed and running back out the door. He could hear her little feet running up the steps. He used the moment to scrub his hair dry before she ran back down and into the room with a basket full of colorful fabric. She set it down on the floor in front of him and he raised his eyebrows.

“I know they are women clothes mostly, but it’d better than feeling gross, right?”

“yeah…” he said, sorting through the clothes until he found some he thought would fit him.

Ana sat on a plush chair in the corner of the room, playing with her red hair. Aku closed the bathroom door and put the clothes on quickly, grinding his teeth in an effort to ignore the lingering head pain. Ana beamed when he came out and sat down in the floor against the bed.

“Oh, you’re on the floor again,”

He raised his eyebrows, “Yes?”

She moved out of the chair and pushed the cookie trey in front of him before falling down across from him, “You and Samurai Jack like to sit on the floor instead of on the furniture most of the time.”

Aku smiled, “Hmm, you’re quite observant, aren’t you?”

“I also noticed that you and Jack act really weird around each other. You don’t talk to people when he is not there and he is much less nervous when you are not there,”

Aku nodded, “Yes, very observant. Especially since you’re grieving. It is hard to concentrate on things, isn’t it?”

She paled, but stared at him in wonder. “You are not like most of the people I know. You seem like someone who does not pretend to be happy all the time… and you’re very blunt,”

He scoffed, taking a cookie from her trey. She smiled nervously, crossing her legs to imitate him.

“I don’t know what to do now that my Moms gone,” she said very businesslike, waiting for his reaction.

Aku raised his eyebrows.

“Talking to Jack about it seems weird, I mean... I dunno, I don’t want to make him feel like he has to stay here or something,”

“Did he leave? Where did he go?”

“I dunno, he left really early. But he’ll come back, he won’t leave without you.”

Aku just continued to stare at her, “You… seem to like him,”

She nodded, “He makes me feel safer, I know he is a good person. My mother told me stories about him, he’s a lot less, uhm, scary in person though,”

Aku laughed, “Scary?!”

“Well people talk about him and say things like, ‘he never smiles’, and that he is aloof and stuff,”

Aku smirked and hummed at the image. Compared to his ever enraged and embarrassed vision of Jack to the aloof uncaring one was an amusing visage.

“But anyway, ... I just wondered if you had any advice,”

Aku squinted, “About?”

“My Mom,” she repeated, “Everyone… keeps telling me sorry. But that… thats all they say.”

“Uh,” Aku grimaced, looking around the room like he was searching for an escape. Then he sighed, his expression cold and calculating. “Now that you have no one to tell you what to do, why don’t you do whatever you want?”

Ana nodded slowly, sadly, “My Mom never really stopped me from doing things, but I guess I see what you mean.” She fiddled with a cookie in her fingers, “What do you want to do?”

Aku balked, “What, you mean ever??”

She shrugged.

Aku though for a long moment before saying more softly, “I am not sure.”

“You want to stay with Samurai Jack?”

He gave her a piercing look and she giggled.

“And just what do you mean by that, little girl?”

“I heard you telling Jack you’d like to stay with him forever, and something about being human.”

“What else did you hear?”

She shrugged guiltily, “I couldn’t really hear you anymore after that,”

Aku burst into laughter, “You! _Naughty_ creature! Listening in to other people’s conversations? Oh, what will the Samurai think?”

She shook her head, “Oh no! Don’t tell him! What if he gets mad at me?”

Aku laughed, “Do not worry. I like other trouble makers.”

Her mouth quivered and she sniffed, swallowing down tears. Aku stared.

“Please do not cry. I hate it when people do that,” Aku said.

Ana burst into laughter again, even as a couple of tears escaped her and she wiped them off with her sleeve.

“That’s the meanest way I’ve ever heard anyone say that!”

Aku grimaced again, eyeing her like she might explode at any second.

“Everyone I asked in the village told me different stuff, none of it was very helpful. What do I do now that she’s gone? Oh, well you get her house. You have money for food. That’s good and stuff, but that’s not what I mean. I don’t care about _things._ ”

Aku just stared.Silently mortified to be on the receiving end of this conversation.

“You are blunt though, I feel like you might tell me the truth. What do I do without her?”

Aku took in a sharp uncomfortable breath and unfolded his legs, humming quietly, cursing Jack for leaving him unattended with a _normal_ person.

“You actually want to hear what I think? You are sure?”

She nodded, crossing her arms over herself like she was bracing.

He looked her over silently before staring into her eyes with a coldness that made her raise her eyebrows.

“Fine. But no crying!” he said pointing at her. She nodded. "I have rarely ever experienced grief. I know that it changes your life and you will never be or feel exactly the same as you did before,”

She stared in a sort of terrified awe, “So, so does that mean that I’ll never be happy anymore?”

Aku shook his head, tapping the tips of his fingers together sharply, “No. You can be happy.”

“How?”

“You have to take what you want, be what you want, and not let anyone or anything stop you. Not even yourself. Be stronger than the voices in your mind.”

She wiped her eyes on her sleeve again, sniffling. He watched her with the same blank expression.

“What if I don’t know what I want?”

“I... am nut sure. I always know what I want.”

She nodded again, “Okay…Thanks, I’m goanna go upstairs so you don’t have to see me cry anymore.”

“Okay,” he said, still confused.

She smiled, “Are you going to tell Jack?”

“No, I told you I would not—“

“I meant about you,”

He blinked, tilting his head at her.

“You helped me so it seems only fair to help you,”

“Help me what, girl?”

She shook her head, “Never mind it’s okay,” and she stood, walking out into the hall again.

“Ana,”

She turned back in the doorframe. Aku raised his eyebrows at her, and smirked.

“You are too observant for your own good,”

“I won’t tell him either,”

Aku laughed, “I know.”

She smiled again. “Thank you, Yin,”

Aku shrugged, “yes, well, your cookies are good. Next time you should bring tea,”

She laughed out loud and stood up, giving him a quick hug before running back up the steps. Aku sat there, horrified

Jack was accosted with cookies the moment he opened the door. He barely got a word in before they were in his face and he was commanded to eat them. Jack sighed and took one.

“Thank you,” he said, sighing, “How is your headache?”

Aku shrugged and Jack nodded.

"I went back to the market where Ania was killed.”

Aku scoffed, “How?? It has only been a few hours!”

“There is a train,” he said shrugging.

Aku grimaced.

“Are you sure you are feeling better?”

“I am fine,” Aku said sharply.

Jack had noticed this the last time Aku had been in pain in front of him; he really did not like to mention it, or even admit it was happening.

Jack grabbed his shoulder and put his other hand on his forehead.

Aku squinted.

“It is still there,”

“How can you tell that from _touching_ me?!”

Jack sighed, “You should try and relax,”

Aku groaned and laid back on the bed, growling at nothing. Jack smiled and brought him water.

“I noticed security cameras around a building called the Night Den? They are heavily guarded and they were not open.”

“Clubs are only open at night, Samurai, didn’t the ravers tell you that?”

“Ravers? This place is a rave? I thought that raves happened outside,”

Aku smiled, chuckling, “mmm, no. It isn’t a rave, it is a club.”

Jack sat beside him, giving him a questioning look. Aku smirked up at him.

“A club is a place that people go to be in a party. You pay money to go inside and dance, drink or get otherwise intoxicated, gamble, and things of that nature.”

Jack looked horrified and Aku laughed again, “Unfortunately for you I know this club,”

“Why is that unfortunate?”

“It is run by a gang, there is no way they will hand anything over to _Samurai Jack_. If they know it is you in there, ah, they will not be pleased,”

Jack sighed, “Yet I must see what happened and how someone pretended to be _you_ ,”

Aku hummed, “We could go in as if we were going to the club. Maybe I could _talk_ my way into its possession,”

Jack blinked, “You wish to help me go on this quest?”

“Do you think you could get in unnoticed and get the tapes by yourself?” Aku asked, rolling his eyes.

Jack opened his mouth and then sighed, “It would be much more difficult without you,”

Aku smiled.

“It is better that I do not leave you alone anyway,” he muttered more to himself then Aku, as he went to get himself water.

“What?”

“I will not leave you here alone again if I can help it,”

“You fear I will destroy the house?” Aku asked, smirking.

“No..I do not want you to be alone for… selfish reasons,”

Now his interested were peeked, he sat on the edge of the bed.

“You? _Selfish?_ What does that mean?”

Jack sighed and fiddled with the beads around his wrist, “It is difficult for me to leave you alone because I do not like being alone myself.”

Aku tilted his head, trying to process this.

“I know you do not get lonely. I know it does not actually matter to you. But… The concept is impossible for me to wrap my mind around. I cannot accept it. I still imagine you feeling the way I did.”

There was a very pregnant pause.

“Ah, I know it is ridiculous.” Jack didn’t look up at Aku who was still intently staring at him, “You probably have no idea what I am speaking of,” Jack sighed and spread out the fingers of his right hand and turned to Aku, “Do you want me to explain?”

Aku wasn’t sure what to say. He felt a sickening and hypocritical compulsion to tell Jack that he was wrong, and also to never be vulnerable in front of anyone. So he mutely nodded.

Jack closed his eyes and took a slow breath, seeming to steel himself against something. He looked at Aku with a fierceness Aku associated with battle.

“I was sent away from my family at a very young age,” he closed his eyes again, unable to look at him while telling him the story, “You know, I know, that I was sent to train for the majority of my life. I rarely stayed in any place for very long and I never got to keep my friends. I missed my family, I _miss_ my family. And when I came to this future,” he said, motioning vaguely to the window, “The only thing that was truly the same at all…”

“Was me.”

Jack nodded slowly.

Aku sighed, staring out over the floor.

“I have spent more consecutive years fighting you then I ever got to spend with my family.”

Aku blinked and looked at him, “How old are you?”

Jack sat upright, thinking, “Uhm… It is difficult for me to keep track of time here. Let me think…”

Aku waited.

“Twenty five? Maybe older.”

Aku’s eyes became saucers, “What!?”

“What!?” Jack accidentally mimicked in surprise.

“You-” Aku shook his head, “You are so… young.” he finished, confused.

Jack laughed, “I feel like I’m one hundred years old. Sometimes when people are explaining things in this place to me, I feel like a relic.”

Aku snickered.

“Anyway, after so long trying and failing to get back to them. It became too much for me. I just wanted it to be over.”

Aku nodded, “Yes. Find the end of the battle?”

Jack shook his head, “Just be with my family.”

Aku squinted at him and Jack looked away.

“They are still here, I could join my ancestors and not have to feel this pain anymore. I do not need to stay trapped here forever.”

A chill settled on Aku’s shoulders and he froze.

Jack shrugged, “I do not want to be a failure.”

Aku stared at him and realized with a growing horror what Jack had been thinking about doing. He could see how Jack was shaking just slightly, though he remained stoic and serious.

Perhaps he did seem cold and distant to other people after all.

He… had seriously considered _killing himself_? Aku could see it in his mind so clearly. All the previous fights and fantasies about Jack’s death swirled in his mind. But it was one thing for him to die in the heat of battle, like a fearless warrior.

The image shifted in his mind. How would he feel about having nothing to do with Jack’s untimely end? Would Jack find somewhere so isolated it would take months to even realize he was missing? _Alone._ The idea absolutely broke him. He let out a pained breath, struggling to find words.

Would he have laughed? Would he have wondered for all of eternity what had happened to Samurai Jack? Aku put his face in his free hand, grinding his teeth furiously. Enraged with himself and with his ignorance. A necrotic cavern grew inside of his chest. His heart was freezing cold.

“Aku?”

Aku sputtered, sitting upright, and taking in another painful breath. He felt woozy in ways he had yet to experience in this body, but this was different. This hurt whatever it was he was made of. Many times he had questioned if he was capable of experiencing these emotions outside of his human trap, but this time, he _knew_. It would have hurt if he were still a demon. He did not know how he knew, but he did.

“Aku, are you okay?” Jack asked, grasping Aku’s shoulder.

“Jack,” Aku said harshly and Jack froze, “I…” Aku continued to struggle for words. He felt heat in his face and saw Jack go wide eyed at his probably very embarrassing expression but he couldn’t control it anymore. “I…”

_I do know what you are speaking of._

_I know_ exactly _how you felt._

_I do feel alone…_

“We… should focus on your plan. The longer we wait the more likely it is that we will loose that video, if it still exists.”

Jack smiled and nodded.

“We have to take it. If they haven’t already deleted it or burned it, they will not easily hand over ... well, what they think is me. I am still a threat in their eyes,”

Jack tapped his chin a few times, “Perhaps this time, _you_ can distract them? Or distract the people?”

“How? By causing a scene ?” Aku asked, relieved that the subject had been so easy to change.

“Not necessarily,” he said, “We can go in as regular people, right?”

Aku smiled, “ _I_ could, I don’t think they will let you past their metal detectors with a katana. Plus... you look like Samurai Jack,”

“I am—”

“Well, we will just need to change your clothes,”

Jack frowned, “Okay. But what about my sword?”

Aku stared at it distastefully for a long moment, “..can’t send you into a den unarmed…”

Jack watched the wheels in Akus head turning with fascination. All the times Aku had concocted insane plans to kill him, he’d seen, but he’d never seen behind the curtain. Aku’s fingers were spread out, tips pressing against one another as he pursed his lips and watched an invisible scene before in his mind.

“I can see if the metal detector can be broken. Or we might find a disgruntled employee.”

“What?”

Aku smiled, “Pay them to ‘not see’ the sword when we go in,”

Jack shook his head. Aku really was a sneaky, calculating, trouble making, deviant.


	17. The Element of Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ;) I hope you like it.

It took an effort to remain calm as he approached the building. Standing in line with the feeling of oncoming audio claustrophobia climbing through the vibrating pavement through his boots. The sky seemed blackened by the city lights, if the moon weren’t out he could have been underground.

Everything was demanding his attention. He was hiding in plane sight in clothes he could not decide how he felt about. It didn’t really matter as long as he could get in. He felt almost like he was in slow motion as the people around him in the velvet roped line jumped up and down, laughed, and called out to one another in wild anticipation.

Outside, the square building was painted black, sporting heavily barred windows, and the heavy metal doors, it gave the impression of an ornate prison. Whenever the masked men in black suits opened the doors to let through another _screeching_ flock of dancers, he saw the deep blurry blood red glass inner doors open into a dark, red flaming hallway. Each time it opened it seemed to release the powerfully loud music along with a clouds of heavy fog like the growl of some great monster in the cold. It looked like a toothy gateway to hell to him, and it eagerly swallow the next group.

He might have been thankful for the loud beat as it prevented him from hearing his own anxious thoughts but he wasn’t sure because he couldn’t hear them.

The group of three girls behind him who were all wearing skintight black onesies draped in bubbling and sparkling plastic necklaces and glow sticks, were hopping on their heels eagerly. They smiled at him when he glanced their way and he smiled awkwardly, quickly looking away. He felt a light tap on his shoulder and looked back to one of the women as she leaned into his ear, still having to shout over the music to say,

“Boy, ‘you all alone?”

Jack nodded, and she grinned, showing off a sparkling red grill over her upper teeth and waved him into their group. Not knowing what else to do, he allowed it and was adopted into the party. Even though his new friends were now paying attention to him, he noted that others seemed to stop looking. Going in alone _was_ considered weird then, Aku had been correct.

He was sure Aku had been correct about this place in general, even if he could still see the snarky smile he gave when explaining why people even _came to places like this_ to Jack. Aku probably wasn’t nervous when he went inside, he was not sure since he had been half an hour or so behind him, but he knew that particular menacing glitter he got in his eyes when he was excited about something. He wished Aku was here. He did not want to admit that to himself, but partying was not something he’d ever been good at to begin with, and this felt very extreme.

Jack watched shyly as the girls excitedly danced around him and giggled at his awkwardness. They lead him to the front of the line and Jack tried to withhold his grimace as his eardrums protested. One of the masked men came forward with a glowing rod and the girls all put their hands in the air. Jack did the same and the man waved the object over each of them before the next masked man slapped bracelets on each of their wrists. One of the guards paused at the string of beads around his wrist, but then they were stepping through the glass doors into that long misty hallway.

It took a moment for Jack's eyes to adjust to the colorful flashing lights sparkling down from the ceiling in waves, pulsating off the walls, and flashing on the floor, all while curls of fog swirled heavily. It smelled strange, he was not sure exactly what the smell was, besides chemical, but the entire sensation made him borderline dizzy. The girls lead him further into the foggy room, where most people seemed to be gathered to dance. The music was so powerful it seemed to shake the air.

The dance floor was wide and open, and he realized that two floors above had been cut out, and the windows had been blackened, creating the illusion of a deep cavern. Each floor had a mezzanine wrapping around it and he could just barely make out people smoking and leaning close to one another through the fog. He could also see steps that lead further down velvety hallways, where people in strange costumes were dancing or lurking in various corners.

The girls around him were laughing, cracking glow sticks in their hands and shaking them. Jack tried his best to smile appreciatively as they placed some around his neck. Several couples around them were shaking their hair and pulsing with the beat, and the strange sexuality of it instantly made him feel as if he was witnessing something he was not supposed to see. Were the girls trying to get him to do that? He wasn’t sure he could stay here and pretend to be calm if they—One of them stopped, forming an ‘o’ with her mouth and pointed. Her girlfriends turned to look. Jack blinked and turned to see as well.

Instantly he was stunned.

Jack froze in place. Standing on the raised floor a few feet away, walking in front of several lights and creating a long shadow as he went, was Aku. Somehow, he seemed to take up more space than people twice his size, his presence was cooly threatening and the girls were not the only ones with eyes upon him. Jack felt his own eyes going wide.

Elegantly silhouetted against the colors, Aku’s long slim frame and strong shoulders were put on display. He stepped down onto the dance floor towards him and several people stepped out of his way as he passed. Aku hardly noticed as he strode by with all the attitude of the king he was, smiling indecently at Jack.

His hair was combed out of his face with the utmost care, and it curled enticingly around his sharply illuminated features, drawing Jacks attention to his fiercely green eyes. He may as well have been on fire, since the image was burning itself into Jacks mind. His beard and mustache were perfectly arranged, as was his hair, making him look even more devilish than usual. When he turned to smile at someone passing he exposed his long neck and beautifully exposed collar bones.

Jack felt like he’d locked up in place. He was solid on the outside and boneless on the inside. The wind had been knocked out of him. His eyes were winning a fight with his mind to follow the unbuttoned collar of his black shirt, looking so soft between the hems of a black leather jacket. The fitted pants and pointed heeled boots seemed to absorb light as he walked towards him. Jack took in every curve. He couldn’t help it, he felt drunk. _This was crazy. What in the world was wrong with him?_ He’d all but forgotten he was standing in this place at all.

So narrowed was his attention that they may as well have been alone.

Aku smirked, tilting his head down and raising his eyebrows. Jack realized he was ogling him, and quickly looked away, clenching his teeth and blushing horribly. Snapped back into reality by shame, Jack realized that the girls were staring at the two of them in anticipation. Aku smiled coyly, leaning into Jack's space and putting a hand over his ear like he was giving Jack a pickup line. Goosebumps erupted all over his skin at the sudden contact. The girls around him gawked openly.

“Your sword is in the back,” he said into his ear. Every hair on Jack's body stood on end. As soon as Aku backed away, several of the girls circled around them like sharks herding fish closer together. One of the girls he’d come in with put her hand on Aku’s shoulder and he smirked at her, winking. She looked almost like she screamed, but he couldn’t hear.

Aku laughed when Jack narrowed his eyes at her. Was that a _jealous_ expression! _What a compliment!_ The girls Jack had been standing with were eyeing them both amorously and Jack honest to gods had no idea how _good_ he looked in all black. Aku unconsciously licked his lips. One of the girls standing behind Jack waved and he looked at her. They were grinning at him lustfully, waiting for Jack to do something about how angry he’d become when the other girl had touched him. Their rituals were not being followed, since Jack did not want someone else to touch him, Jack was supposed too, wasn’t he? Humans and their weird mating rituals. Hmm. One of them pointed to Jack and then grinned at Aku.

_Yes_. He said silently with one nod.

Jack yelled in surprise when he was shoved forward by one of the girls. Aku grasped him by the upper arms. The smile on his face was positively fiendish. Jack's mind short circuited. He wanted… He did not know what he wanted. All that he knew was that he wanted something, but the loud music and that _smirk_ were making it very difficult to think.

It was the beginning of this world all over again. Impossible to imagine times with impossible to imagine cultures that Aku had thrown him into. _Sink or swim._ He definitely felt like he was drowning; the fog blurring his vision anywhere beyond green eyes, pounding music leading his heartbeat without his permission, and the only thing in this whole strange dimension that he recognized was this infernally handsome demon. He felt Aku’s hands on his arms letting go and grasped him by the wrist, almost fearfully, clinging onto the only thing he knew.

Aku backed up, tilting his head and giving him the most enticing look Jack ever seen, holding out his free hand like he was saying, _come to me_. Jack glanced around them and saw all the people dancing like they were on fire. The girls were all watching him in suspense, even as they jumped up and down, looking wantonly between him and Aku.

Jack burned red and looked back at Aku who raised his eyebrows. He could _see_ the dare in his eyes. He swallowed thickly and followed, pretending that he was not _completely terrified_.

He leaned into Aku’s space and Aku turned to hear him.

[[“I do not know how to do this,”]]

Aku grinned at him, wondering if Jack knew he’d been so unnerved he’d switched back to Japanese. The wide eyed look of social terror on his face suggested otherwise.

[[“Stop thinking,”]] he said in a low growl. Jack stared.

The girls closed in again, this time, to decorate Aku with glow sticks. The girl who’d brought him into their group pulled Jack over to them again and danced, nodding at all the people jumping up and down and just moving with the music. That’s right. He may not know how to dance, but he knew that he was capable of picking it up. It was just a series of movements, not unlike the ones he did while practicing his form, right? She laughed, the sound was silenced by the music, but it lit up her face with joy when he finally broke down and tried to dance.

Aku tilted his head, watching Jack with a reverence that made their new friends laugh. _The Samurai couldn’t relax until he was not able to see Aku anymore._ His smirk was sure to leave bruises this time. Bit by bit Jack dropped his inhibitions, quickly picking up on their movements, slower to accept them. The girl to the left of Aku, wearing sparkling glitter all over her neck and shoulders spun to get Aku’s attention, she smirked over at her red-fanged friend dancing with Jack as she pulled on Aku’s sleeve to get him to dance with her.

He tilted his head back. She snaked up and down like a bellydancer with her arms over her head, moving her hips like she had an invisible hula hoop, raising an eyebrow at him challengingly. Never one to be outdone, he burst out into movement and she cried out in excitement, speeding up to match him. It quickly became difficult for her to keep pace with him as he stepped in time with the accelerating beats, moving around her even as she moved around him. She and her friends jumped ecstatically beside them, arms in the air, like they were desperate to catch the flashing lights between their outspread fingers. Stomping the fog into the dance floor.

Their red-fanged friend suddenly relinquished Jack as more people crowded around them. Jack turned to see his companion mid-twist and gaped all over again. Torn between a sudden dislike of the girl in glitter and the image of Aku absolutely lost in what he was doing, he bit his bottom lip. _Was he possessed?_ He was pushed forward again, more gently, and nearly froze again when his very own demon stared him down tauntingly. Jack didn’t move.

The music intensified and Aku slid just to the side of Jack. Jack instantly parried to keep him his view. Aku did this again, Jack following him instantly. Aku nodded sharply, smirking, and then it just _clicked_. As if there were a sudden explosion they moved in perfect sync with the others movements, in a strange parody of a battle. Fighting, play fighting, now it was easy. Jack didn’t have time to process the people around them, dancing, circling, and staring. He only saw the pleased expression on Aku’s face when he was the only one keeping up.

The lights flashed in short rapid intervals and he saw freeze frames of Aku each time, twisting on his heels, drawing Jack’s eyes to his hips. He also saw Aku’s eyes on _him_ , staring in a way that was somehow both playfully showing off and _predatory_ in a way that only Aku could be. In stuttering visuals Aku came closer, staring him down, and Jack felt his heart hammering, ready for a fight. He could only back up so much, and although he knew he was not really in danger, the game was on. Of course, _Jack couldn’t loose a fight to Aku._ Aku seemed to appear in his face, snaking out of the darkness like he had transported, though Jack knew it was just the lights. He twisted out of his way, and just as he moved Aku was in the space he’d left. Out of the corners of his eyes he saw the girls undulating in the colorful lights, arms still in the air, hair flying.

Aku saw the look of determination in Jack’s eyes as he came closer and felt him moving away, could almost see the muscle tension under the fabric of Jack’s clothes. Just another fight to try and dominate each other. He turned faster than Jack was expecting that time, grasping him by the wrist, but Jack yanked him closer, spinning him around on his heels. He laughed, spiking around again, under Jacks arm pulling him to the side. Jack spun that time, hopping from one leg to the other as he rebalanced himself to face Aku. Aku released him, shaking his hair out of his face, twirling almost completely away just to annoy Jack.

Jack didn’t let him escape this time, and Aku went wide eyed with the force of being pulled back, stumbling—but Jack didn’t let him fall, and Aku grinned ear to ear when he was facing Jack, who’s arms were around his waist. He pulled himself upright, winking and just barely saw the blush exploding over Jacks cheeks. He did not wait for Jack to let go to keep dancing, but in surprise, Jack did let him go. Aku laughed, throwing his arms over his head, dancing as the girls were. The flashes became less pronounced and Jack was able to see the in mind searing detail, the eroticism of the whole thing.

Jack felt himself yanked backwards by the arm. He spun himself underneath Aku’s outstretched arm, facing him, refusing to be tripped, but then was bracing himself against Aku’s chest. Aku grinned victoriously and Jack nearly moved to try again when Aku jerked his head to the side. Jack saw his eyes growing wide and then narrowing rapidly.

A flip had switched and Aku slid his way through the crowd like a sharp knife through butter and Jack had to jump between people in an effort not to get knocked into. Jack blinked as if he’d been slapped out of a drunken stupor. He caught up with Aku as he moved out of the floor and down one of the velvet lined halls. The music was only slightly duller here.

Jack felt sweat dripping down his temple and wiped his arm over his face.

[[“One of them ?”]] Jack whispered out of breath. Aku was also breathing heavily, he nodded, grasping Jack by the upper arm and leading him down another smaller hallway.

[[“Where are we going?”]]

Aku laughed lightly between sharp breaths, [[“Ah, distracted? Your sword,”]] he panted.

They hurried down the hall to a nondescript door and Aku peered back up the hall, motioning for Jack to go in. Jack did so, eager to get his sword back. And there it was, just sitting on a shelf beside several plastic boxes and a stack of unopened cigarettes. He quickly tied it to his side, sighing slightly at the relief of its familiar weight before sliding back out of the door.

Aku saw Jack and then hurried back out into the wider hall, striding towards the shadowy far wall. Several heavy doors stood slightly open on both sides, fog streaming in as cigarette smoke poured out.

They had talked about this extensively but Jack was still apprehensive, watching Aku glance casually into each door before subtly signing to the one they wanted. There was another set of masked guards standing in front of the doors, looking particularly menacing. Though they didn’t even seem to notice that Jack had a _sword_ in their club. Aku said something to the guard that Jack couldn’t hear and he tensed.

It wasn't exactly that he didn’t trust Aku to do this, but he openly grimaced as Aku disappeared into the room. Instantly feeling vulnerable. He was supposed to follow _only_ if he thought there was a problem, but not being able to see Aku left Jack twitchy. In his mind the dark room held the dinner guests of anyones nightmares, gamblers comprised of gangsters, mercenaries, hitmen, maybe monsters. Possibly drunken people with short tempers that could possibly hurt or kill him…

He was not oblivious to the irony. It was still so odd, but he felt very strongly that he needed to protect Aku. Stupid, really. He was sure Aku could still probably get away with murder without using one of his powers. Jack chewed his lip. He could take care of himself. But it was Jack’s fault that he was in there, trying to help him figure out how to help Ana, and prove that for once that Aku himself had not been the antagonist. It was Jack’s fault in a strange sort of way that Aku was currently human and thus vulnerable to things like guns and knives.

Jack backed away a few feet and leaned against the hallway wall. People walked back and forth without really looking at him. He anxiously waited, jolting in surprise when someone fell into him.

“Oh, excuse me, must have had one drink too many,” said a tall woman.

“It is okay,” Jack said, politely smiling.

The woman stood very close to him for a moment. Giving Jack time to notice wearing black spidery silk dress and white face paint with red three stripes across her cheeks on each side that bent upward and traveled up onto her forehead tin a blatant homage to the demon Aku. She smiled and turned away, walking into the door Jack had been watching. Apprehension built in his chest. He wasn’t sure why since he’d never seen that woman before in his life. Perhaps it was just that he was used to aggression from any of Aku’s supporters. If they recognized him.

The music was speeding up again back on the dance floor and Jack squinted as the strobing lights started up again. Distantly he sees glowing bracelets and wonders if those are the same girls. The loud music is starting to make him feel dizzy and tired. When he wasn’t dancing it really was quite awful.

Aku hissed out in surprise when his head hit the table. He felt sharp claws digging into his scalp and growled. Felix the gangster stood up. This man Aku had known for a long time, but of course he did not recognize Aku.

“What the fuck is your problem—”

“This is the traveling companion!” she hissed. Aku turned his head slightly to get a better look at the person holding him down with such strength.

“Salem,” Aku hissed in surprise, his eyes going wide. _Oh no that wasn’t good. Why in the holy hells was she here!?_

Salem and Felix both looked down at him.

“You recognize me do you, _apostate_!?”

Aku rolled his eyes and immediately paid for it as she yanked him back by the hair and smashed his face back into the table. He pulled his arms up onto the table slowly, gritting his teeth, cursing loudly in his mind.

“What are you doing here!?” Salem asked, leaning over him. Aku bared his teeth.

“This is the companion who—”

“Who took the Samurai from us,” she said. Her anger was so intense that Aku could feel heat all throughout each finger of the hand on his head.

Felix laughed in surprise, “Are you sure someone would be stupid enough to come here after doing that to you?”

“Let go of me, right now,” Aku said in a strained voice, trying to keep the growl he was feeling at bay. For the first time in his life, he really wished he _didn’t_ sound so much like himself.

“Felix,” Salem said calmly.

Aku struggled, spitting curses under his breath as Felix’ lackeys came to hold him down and cuff him. He ground his teeth as he was yanked backwards and tossed into a wooden chair in the corner. The guard took a look inside and shut the door. _Fuck._ Aku sat up as straight as he could and everyone in the room had their eyes on him now.

“Kill him, Salem,” Felix suggested,

Salem took a knife from her belt and crouched in front of him, pointing the knife at his neck and then lower.

“How about,” she whispered sadistically, “You tell us where the Samurai is?”

Aku refused to make a face when the tip of the blade cut into his shirt and very shallowly into his stomach. Felix laughed, crossing his bulky arms over one another, looking down at Salem.

“You know, don’t you? I bet you know a lot of things,”

“I do,” Aku purred back, narrowing his eyes and baring his teeth, “I know all about your little slip up with the Samurai. It was so _easy_ for _one_ person to infiltrate. How will your Master feel about that?”

She screamed in a rage, slapping him across the face, before calming herself. Aku just smiled. She put the knife to his jugular.

“How dare you insult me, pathetic betrayer!?”

Felix stepped up beside her, “It’s alright. We’ve got all night, don’t flip your lid and slit his throat before you get what you want out of ’em.”

Salem frisked him, taking the flash drive from his coat pocket, along with his knife. He maintained a fearless spiteful expression even as he struggled not to panic, eyes on the drive. She held it up between her fingers and raised her eyebrow, but as she came closer he slammed his head into hers. She screeched in another rage, falling into Felix. Aku saw Felix’ lackeys struggling not to laugh. Salem was not used to insubordination. She was the head of the Shadow Sisters and she was their leader for two very good reasons. One, because Aku had picked her out for being ruthless. He was quite sure that she would eventually tire of him not giving her what she wanted and he _knew_ she was masterful with that blade when she was calmer.

**_Just tell her where Jack is._ **

Aku froze, staring across the room. No, no, not now, not now.

**_You will really let yourself die for the Samurai?_ **

Felix pulled up a chair beside him, dragging a light over and shining it directly into his eyes, blinding him. He squinted, sneering, refusing to show any fear.

**_You are afraid though, aren’t you?_ **

He grit his teeth harder.

“Let’s start from the beginning, gents,” Said Felix thickly, Aku could smell the cigar being lit. What a show off.

“What is your name?”

Aku didn’t respond, he just tilted his head as far away from the hot white light as he could get. Felix hummed in faux patience and soon there was another sharp object in his face, though he still couldn’t see anything he could feel the point pressing into his cheekbone.

“What’s your name, friend?”

“Yin,” he said in a cut off voice, closing his eyes, he could see that damn light through his eyelids.

“Yin? Well it’s nice ‘ta meet you, Yin. I know I introduced myself when you came through the door, so you know who I am. What the fuck are you doing here, huh?”

Aku just let out a low hiss of frustration. The knife broke the skin and he jerked away.

**_Tell them where Jack is._ **

_SHUT UP. SHUT UP._

_“Helping the Samurai,” he muttered._

“Helping him with what? What is it you got on that flash drive?”

“I don’t know,” he said exasperatedly, feeling the knife move dangerously down his face.

**_If they know who they are doing this too, they will stop._ **

_They would not._

“Okay Yin,” Felix said, disgustingly close, Aku still did not open his eyes, that light was still so bright, “Why have you been helping the Samurai?”

**_So true. Why have you been helping him? Everything could just go back to normal if you…_ **

“SELFISH PERSONAL GAIN!” He screamed and Felix nearly fell over. Aku squinted when the light was softened slightly. There was muttering from Salem and the others.

**_Pathetic. Is this what you’ve become?_ **

“NO!” He screamed again, startling the entire room.

Salem snickered, “Having a little bit of a meltdown, Yin?”

Aku grimaced.

“Tell us where the Samurai is.” Salem said coldly.

“Or _what_?”

“TELL US WHERE THE SAMURAI IS!” Felix bellowed right in Aku’s ear.

“Right here,” said Jack.

Salem and Felix stood up straight, Salem took Aku by the hair again and put the blade to his throat. Jack stepped inside casually, silent as a spider, sword already drawn. The guard behind him was laying against the doorframe, mask cracked.

“Let him go.”

“Samurai Jack!” Salem screeched joyously, “We are so _pleased_ to see you again! Your _girlfriend_ here was telling us all about you,”

Jack didn’t take the bate and Aku couldn’t help but smile a little. All the menace in the world directed at him and he didn’t even pale. To see the warrior face, the deadly calmness, directed at someone else felt so good.

“I said,” Jack whispered to a silent room, “Let him go.”

“Will you kill us if we don’t, Samurai?” she laughed, pushing the blade up against his throat harder.

Jack’s expression hardened into a sneer, “That will not be necessary.”

Jack met Aku’s gaze for just a moment, long enough for Aku to eye Felix and look back to Jack. Jack shook his head a fraction, rage directed at Salem. _Ah_ , he was worried about _him._ Aku blinked a couple of times before kicking the lamp viciously to the side and stomping the light. For just a moment the room was black and when the light returned, Jack was gone.

Salem screamed again, glancing around the room as Felix and his lackeys did. Aku took the moment of distraction to shove himself out of her arms and onto the floor before there was a crash and the lights all went out again.

“OPEN THE GODDAMN DOOR!” Salem screamed and it was thrown open, letting in the pulsating flashes. There were a couple of loud bangs as someone shot at the ceiling.

Aku rolled onto his back and pushed himself across the floor, nearly getting stomped by multiple people falling over each other. In the chaos he tripped Salem, and slammed his shoe directly into her face. He smiled at the _CRACK_ noise.

Jack moved over the table while people stumbled over on another, just barely catching the bullets with his sword.

“DON’T SHOOT IN HERE!” Felix screeched from somewhere across the room.

Aku had told him that the large man in a dark blue suit was the one who had what they wanted. One of the men climbed up onto the table and Jack threw him back off and then leapt off himself, kicking the table into two more of them, throwing four to the ground. He slid low to the floor, through the shadow towards the man in the blue suit.

“No! No get away from me!” He screamed, aiming a small gun and rapid firing at him, Jack ducked and heard a pained scream from someone just behind him. “Get out! Get away!” Jack stood straight, defensive position, reflecting several bullets aimed wildly around him. He hissed when he felt one graze his upper arm but didn’t stop. In a wild panic Felix spun around and picked up a beer bottle and threw it. It hit the sword, shattering into many pieces, and hitting Jack in several more places but very shallowly, and now he was mad.

He closed the distance and swiped his feet out from underneath him, grasping him by the collar of his shirt.

Jack opened his mouth but Felix pulled out the flash drive and threw it.

“TAKE IT! Get away from me!”

Jack turned to see Aku, holding it in his hand, staring down at Felix with that horribly evil look in his eyes.

“Lets leave.” Jack said and Aku smiled, nodding.

Just as they were going back through the door he heard people running out around the dance floor and also heard Felix.

“Security, security,—”

He didn’t stop to listen, he grasped Aku and bolted out of the room, shoving people out of the way as he went. Aku caught up after just a moment, tearing through the confused dancers. One of the guards reached them and Jack side swiped him as well before being pulled in a different direction.

Jack stopped when he saw the exit blocked, turning in a panic to the other smaller doors. Only one was an opening to outside and guards were quickly running to block it. There was no way they would—

He saw the guards in front trip one by one, into the crowd of dancers and couldn’t help but burst into laughter when he saw the glow sticks and devious smiles of his new friends disappearing back into the crowd as the guards struggled to get up again. One of them tossed a bottle to them and Aku caught it before yanking him towards the door. They ran out into narrow alley on a lower floor, leading to outdoor steps. This was not where they had wanted to be. There were too many dead end over here and they both froze at the sound of bullets. There were guards on the roofs of the other buildings, once they caught sight of them they started shooting down and Jack shoved Aku out of the way blocking them all before choosing another turn to take, hoping there was a way out.

“How are we to get out of this?” Jack yelled to Aku, still deaf from the music. Theyscrambled as they reached a dead end. Jack looked up the wall and Aku stood at the ready at the entrance to the turn, panting, ready for them to catch up.

“You can climb the walls, can you not?” Aku asked quickly.

“Yes, but can you?”

“Maybe,” Aku said, glancing up.

Just then figures appeared at the edge of the roofs and Jack just barely pulled Aku and himself out of the way of a new shower of bullets.

“Jack,” Aku said sharply.

“Yes?”

Aku looked at him for a moment. His eyes were alight with joy, his smile downright devious, and Jack had to tear his eyes away to block another shower of bullets. He felt a sharp pain on his forearm but ignored it.

“Are you afraid?” He whispered. Jack could feel him backing up, so the were back to back.

“What?!” He yelped, “Yes?”

“Excellent,” he purred, “Do not panic and get closer to me,”

Jack turned, stepping into Aku’s space.

From down the alley they heard Salem’s watery voice shouting, “Stop shooting! We want them alive!” The guards had reached the end of the alley.

“Samurai Jack!” Salem called but Jack stayed just behind Aku as requested.

Aku seemed unreasonably relaxed in front of him, he even had one hand on his hip. Jack was panting and very confused.

“Hand yourself over or die, Yin! You aren’t worth the fight!”

Aku chuckled, “I imagine not,”

“What?”

Aku pulled the cap out of the bottle before throwing it at their feet. They jumped back and Salem scoffed.

Jack balked as Aku motioned as if to blow them a kiss, but instead of a small hiss, what came from his mouth was a powerful burst of white-orange fire. The force of the flame sent a gush of hot air in all directions. The guards screamed, falling over each other to get away. From behind the wall of fire, Salem screamed in fury.

Jack felt his eyes water from the heat but he blinked and glared up at the other group who had temporarily ceased fire. Aku spun on his heels, pushing Jack out of the way as he shot fire at them as well.

As soon as Aku paused to breath, Jack grasped him around the waist and leapt onto the roof, rushing past the black smoke and confused screams of their foes. The two of them ran for their lives, racing across the burnt stone square where Ania had been killed. Aku was speeding up and Jack struggled to keep up. The gunshots followed them. Aku grasped Jack by the arm and shot them like an arrow into the woods so fast that Jack couldn’t scream in surprise until they were gone.

They fell onto the dirt path, gasping, and Jack leaned against a tree. They were back at the pathway to Ana’s house.

“H-how?”

Aku smiled manically, “You were scared,”

Jack blinked but was too tired to question it. As they approached the house, a strange noise rang out. It took jack a moment to register that Aku was laughing, absolutely joyously, his green eyes watering from mirth.

“What is so funny?” He asked, checking his sword before sheathing it.

Aku struggled to contain himself as he flopped down beside Jack.

“What is not funny?” He asked.

Jack smiled and shook his head.

“I could never have imagined causing havoc with _you_ would be so much _fun!_ ” He said, still giggling. Jack laughed.

“We were trying to get the tape,” he said, scratching at his messy hair, “Not causing havoc,”

Aku rolled his eyes, still grinning from ear to ear, beaming at Jack. Jack couldn’t resist smiling back.

“Did you have fun?” Aku asked teasingly,

Jack sighed, still smiling, “Some of it I could call fun. Not the second part though… I was not expecting your meeting to go so badly,” he admitted and Aku started his fits of laughter all over again. Jack turned away, blushing slightly.

“Ah, you are bleeding,” Aku noticed, touching Jack's face.

“Oh, I got a few shallow cuts,” he said, checking his arms. He nearly missed Aku pulling his fingers away, thumb red with Jack's blood as he put it in his mouth. It was such a casual gesture, he did not immediately process it.

“I.. Wha..” He muttered, standing up straighter, “Aku,”

He hummed questioningly at Jack.

“What are you doing?”

Aku stared uncomprehendingly until Jack motioned to the cut on his face and to Aku’s hand.

“Wha… Why—” Jack sputtered in shock.

Aku shrugged, smiling darkly, the sound went straight through Jack who’s face immediately burned.

“Why do you care anyway? You don’t need it anymore,” Aku said wiping his thumb across his lip. Jack blinked rapidly.

“But you cannot just… do that.”

Aku snickered, tilting his head at Jack. Jack struggled to find an explanation that might make sense to Aku.

“Because it is mine. Because you did not ask, because—” he stood away from the wall. “Because—”

Aku’s pupils blew wide and they sparkled in that way that let Jack know he was going to try and cause trouble. Jack braced himself.

“May I?” he said, smirking.

Jack balked in surprise, feeling instantly winded. Aku laughed maniacally.

“What ?”

“You said that it is _yours_ and so I needed to _ask_ , why so surprised, Samurai? I thought you _wanted_ me to use manners.”

Jack felt dizzy, Aku’s devious laughter was echoing in his ears and the feeling of light touching on his face was buzzing. He leaned against the wall.

“So? Are you going to answer me?” Aku prodded, sadistically, leaning into Jack’s space just to watch his face burn redder. Jack’s lips twitched.

“Okay,”

Aku abruptly stopped smiling. Jack turned his head away, though he could still feel the calculating stare.

“‘Okay’?” Aku repeated suspiciously, “You mean to say, _yes_?”

Jack stumbled to get around him, hurrying around the house and across the porch to the back door. He heard Aku’s footfalls quickly following. He made it down the steps and to just outside the door to the basement bedroom before a hand on his shoulder spun him around and he was pinned to the hallway wall. Aku glared. Jack felt his heart hammering against his ribs.

“Yes?” Aku asked sharply. Jack mouthed for a few moments before nodding numbly. Aku reached out and Jack quickly caught his hand.

“Not my face,”

Aku blinked as Jack pushed him backwards and walked into the room. Jack sat down in one of the chairs, pulled off the jacket and rolled up the sleeve, looking appraisingly at the gash on his arm. The door clicked and locked. When he looked up at Aku he saw that he was staring at it as well. Though he looked…

“You may, ah,… if you want, uhm,…ah,” Jack mumbled, unable to finish the statement.

Aku raised an eyebrow, as if giving Jack one last chance to say no. Jack felt his heart beating dizzyingly fast, but he nodded once and then covered his face with his hand. The floor creaked softly as Aku stepped closer and Jack was glad that he sat down because he was quite sure that if he’d been standing he would have collapsed.

He felt surprisingly gentle touches over his wrist and flinched. All his hair was standing on end and even though he couldn’t see it, he felt Aku kneeling in front of him and shifting Jack’s arm outwards. He was struck suddenly by the fact that the cut was dangerously close to the inner joint of his elbow, but he didn’t understand why that thought had occurred to him. What difference did that make?

Aku didn’t bother running his fingers over the injury this time, Jack jerked more violently when he felt warm lips on his forearm. It stung, at first, the open wound seeming to protest at the sudden attention. But then, just as quickly he felt an electric shock run down his spine into his core and deeper.

Jack opened his eyes and clenched his teeth, the sudden intensity of it making his head spin. Aku held him by the wrist and bicep so that he didn’t jerk away, and drew the blood eagerly from his skin. Jack glanced down at him just as he felt Aku, eyes closed in deep concentration, draw his tongue across the edge of the wound.

He let out a gasp of shock, he couldn’t help it. He wasn’t expecting it to feel _good_. He didn’t know what he was expecting. Aku’s eyes shot open and met his. Jack suddenly became aware of their position and knew he was blushing hard. Aku’s gleaming eyes fixated on his only for a second more before he returned to his task, hungrily sucking the delicate skin. Jack realized that he had gripped the edge of the chair with his free arm and was leaning away from Aku as if that would somehow lessen the intimacy. It did not. Aku’s hand, still on Jack’s bicep, pushed his sleeve further up his arm and pressed his mouth to the joint there.

That was when Jack realized _why_ the proximity to that inner joint was a problem. The skin there was sensitive, rarely touched, and now as Aku leisurely applied hot wet pressure, it sent nearly painful shocks of pleasure through his body straight into his groin.

He tried to say something-anything, but all that came out was an embarrassingly high hiss. Aku released his wrist and gripped Jack’s knee. Seeming to be spurred on by the sounds, he found the smaller cut closer to Jack’s shoulder and snaked upwards, snapping open the buttons and pushing the shirt aside so he could draw his thumb curiously over the new injury. Jack was shaking violently, and yet, completely paralyzed.

_What was he doing? What was happening?_

He glanced down and saw a light bruise forming at the joint just beside the cut, now painted with bloody trails left by Aku. Jack jolted once again, feeling Aku’s mouth close over the higher cut and was unable to even gasp. He reached down and grasped Aku’s hand that was still on his knee, and felt Aku’s fingers squeeze tighter.

He wondered in a vague way, if he were going to pass out or do something horribly embarrassing. Aku released the cut and breathed hotly along Jack’s exposed shoulder. He nearly blacked out at the feel of lips grazing over his neck, still trailing blood and tickling him gently with facial hair. Teeth lightly dragged along his skin and Jack groaned.

Aku gave him a possessive growl, pushing Jack's shirt down over his shoulders. Jack found himself shakily pulling his hands free of the material and dropping it aside, tilting his head back as Aku’s bites climbed to just under his ear.

The skin there was even more sensitive and Jack bucked, grasping Aku around the shoulders. Aku pushed himself down over Jack, kissing the spot that had made him jump just to feel him do it again, biting just hard enough to lightly bruise. Jack's hands scrambled over his shoulders until he found it in himself to slide his hands under the leather jacket and soft black shirt and drag his fingernails over Aku’s bare shoulders.

“Ah!” Aku sighed in surprise, and wrapped one arm around Jack, pulling him flush against him, pushing himself between Jack's legs. Jack was squirming almost uncontrollably, and if Aku could not feel his fingers clawing at his back or his legs bending around him, he might have thought he was actually trying to get away.

“ _Jack_ ,” he growled in that same dark possessive voice. Jack gasped, realizing how hard he’d become only because he could feel the outline of Aku’s cock drag against it through their clothes.

He wanted the clothes off, he wanted them off so badly, but he could not convince his body to untangle his legs from around Aku’s hips or bring himself to stop Aku from wreaking havoc upon the skin of his neck. Aku continued aggressively across Jack’s throat, pushing a hand into Jack’s hair to pull his head back. In a fit of passion Aku bit down on the other side of Jack’s neck. Jack gasped in pain and Aku stopped, leaning up slowly to look at Jack. They stared tensely at one another, both silent. Aku leaned his forehead against Jacks, breathing hotly against his lips.

Jack felt like he was gasping for air, like the room had run out and no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t get enough.

Aku kissed him.

Jack froze in place.

Aku slid the hand in Jacks hair down his face and drew his thumbnail along the curve of his lips, looking at them hungrily before looking into Jack’s eyes again.

Jack seemed petrified in place, lost in the wanton fire in Aku’s green eyes, _begging_ Jack to let him come closer still. Jack suddenly found that his lungs were filled with cold air, and his body itched for the contact that had suddenly stopped. But Aku did not move, he just watched and waited for Jack to do something. _Anything_.

Jack blinked up at him and then slid his nails over Aku’s shoulders again, enraptured by the lustful groan and expression of vicious ecstasy. Jack found that he could only smile, knowing his face was probably still red, tilting his head slightly closer to Aku.

Instantly Aku’s mouth was on his again, much less gently, and he could _feel_ the possessive growl from somewhere deep inside Aku vibrate all the way into his own chest.

Jack wrapped one arm around Aku’s waist, pulling him closer, sliding their hips together. They broke apart for a moment to hiss at the sensation. He could feel the outline of his cock against his own, twitching, even through layers of clothing, and Aku ground down against him like he would die if he stopped. The pleasure that coursed from his groin, almost painfully up through his spine to his shoulders escaped him in a gasping, “hahh,”

But then Aku was kissing him, biting his lip teasingly and then tracing along the seam of his lips with his tongue. The moment Jack parted his lips to breath he felt Aku’s tongue sliding curiously into his own mouth. Jack bucked in surprise, nearly biting him, but managed to transfer that to his hands, where he gripped Aku at the back of his neck and lower back, just along his belt.

Aku growled, feeling Jacks teeth on his own tongue just drove him into further pursuit. Jack moaned into his mouth, sounding shocked even as he was muffled, and Aku bit at his lip, wanting to hear the noise again.

Jack was writhing at this point, desperate, some distant slightly more rational part of his brain wondered what they were doing but he couldn’t understand it. He could only focus on being trapped between Aku and this chair, as he tightened his legs around Aku’s hips to move with him. Aku let out a high cut off gasp, reaching around Jack and roughly grabbing his ass. Jack hissed in embarrassed surprise and as his head bent back against the chair, he became vaguely aware of all that was happening. The smell of Aku’s and his own arousal, the sweat on his skin and under his hands, the salty taste of his own blood and something like smoke in his mouth. It was too much, it was too much.

“A! AK—”

“ _Jack_ ,” Aku groaned, and Jack clung onto him as pleasure claimed his body. He arched against him, mouth open in a shocked silent scream. He felt Aku lock up just after him, losing himself in a half growl half groan before they both went limp.

Jack panted. He was shivering all over, and had a vague feeling that he was upside down even though he knew he was not. He could hear Aku gasping just beside him and feel his weight over his left side.


	18. Coil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is super short, I'm sorry! there will be a long one after this I promise. <3 Oh and in case you want to see what my Jack/Aku looks like, here is my instagram with my art: 
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/limbichijack/
> 
> :)

“Samurai Jack?” Ana’s voice called gently from the stairs.

Aku jumped in surprise, moving off Jack and disappearing into the bathroom. Jack slid out of the chair onto the floor, struggling to breath. What? _What!?_ He stared at the bathroom door, still slightly open, torn between hiding and demanding that Aku come back and face him.

“Are you okay?” Ana called.

Jack jumped again, struggling to his feet, “Y-yes, I am sorry Ana. Why are you up so late?”

Jack heard the doorknob and panicked, searching for his gi.

“Wait! Wait, Ana,” he said to the door. He sighed slightly when the door stopped moving but then quickly went into the bathroom, ignoring Aku. Who out of the corner of his eye he could tell was sitting against the wall in the shower.

He wet a hand towel and went back over to the bed to peel off his tight clothes, grimacing when they stuck to his skin. He quickly cleaned himself off and put his gi back on with a sigh. He and pushed his hair out of his face with the hand towel. When he it to be felt safe, he opened the door.

Jack frowned when he saw Ana’s red eyes.

“Are you okay?” He asked softly and she nodded.

Jack waited and then she shook her head.

“I’m sorry, I-I just couldn’t sleep. I had nightmares and and... I got up to get a drink and saw that the back door was open,”

Jack blinked, “oh, I am sorry. I will be more careful to shut it next time,”

She stared at him for a moment, but then seemed to decide not to say something. Jack blinked.

“Do you want me to come and sit with you?”

Ana smiled at him appreciatively, “Thank you, I’m goanna try and go back to sleep, but, um, can we ... do that tomorrow?”

Jack smiled and nodded, patting her gently on the shoulder.

“If you need anything at all,”

“ _I’m_ supposed to say that, since it’s my house,” she said smiling, “Thank you, Samurai Jack. Goodnight.”

And with that she retreated up the steps. Jack closed the door and anxiously put his hand on his neck, only to jerk in surprise. His skin was hot and sore. His eyes grew wide and he wandered over to the corner where a hand mirror was sitting on a dresser. He looked at his reflection nervously and gasped, covering his mouth with his hand.

His throat, his neck, and even some of his shoulders were _covered_ in bruises. His face burned as he glared over at the bathroom door. Jack sniffed angrily, searching through the dresser until he found a scarf he could tie around his neck and then he laid in the bed, facing the wall.

 _Gods._ His neck was sore and probably would be for days. He scrambled around the bed, pulling the blankets over himself. He supposed he shouldn’t _really_ be surprised. Especially thinking back to the things he’d said to Jack after he’d been trapped. But he couldn’t help it. Of _all_ the people and _all_ the intelligent life in the universe, his greatest enemy, most hated opponent, the Master of Darkness himself, wanted _him_. He swallowed thickly.

Maybe It wasn’t truly a compliment, maybe it made perfect sense, most everyone else was at the very least intimidated by him if not mortally terrified of him. He sighed. No, that wasn’t right either. He wanted to ask, but he feared the lies he might get. Or worse, the answers he might get.

Jack wondered at it, trying to calm himself enough to think rationally. They were not even friends technically. What would Aku get out of this? Was he trying to manipulate him again? Or…was this not a game? He ran his hand over his mouth, shutting his eyes hard. Was it so hard to believe that Aku really might just…

But Jack was just a man. If that were true, and Aku became himself again. The demon would lose interest in him as he grew weak in old age, or if he were injured... when he couldn’t satisfy the games they played any longer. The thought made him feel sick. He couldn’t think about it anymore.


	19. Nebula II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> See? I don't lie, this chapter is super long XDD
> 
> There are many awkward conversations. Nebula comes back. Karen vs Aku. Ana finds out the truth about her house guests.

_In his mind he stands tall, inside the ruins of a city that once opposed him. He was waiting. Here, two years prior, he felt the heat of a desert sun on his void black body. He knew that his nemesis would be here soon and he relaxed slightly at the small dot of white in the distance that meant Samurai Jack was here again._

_He knows, he remembers, how they will fight. He remembers the hatred and the lust for death as his own but it seems warped by time. As the Jack in his mind approaches he finds himself shrinking to a more human size, placing the tips of his claws together, anticipation stirring. Jack is close enough now to see Aku and he is close enough that Aku can easily tell by the tilted posture that Jack is confused by the unusual greeting._

_Jack pauses about twenty feet away and Aku watches him, lost in deep thought for a moment, and he forgets to speak._

_Jack says something but Aku doesn’t catch it. That is of course, because this never happened... So Aku saunters closet, pausing as Jack tenses with his hand on his sword._

_“I am not here to fight you,” Aku tells him quietly._

_Not even his own subconscious mind believes him. Jack glares._

_“I do not want to fight,” he repeats and Jack stands up straighter, eyeing him with suspicion._

_“Is that possible?” The Jack in his mind asks._

_Aku frowns, “I do not know.”_

_Jack stares at him, calculating what game Aku is probably playing now. Aku just lets him. Trying to convince Jack of his truthfulness will just reinforce disbelief._

_“How can we not fight to the death?”_

_Aku remembers how easily Jack draws the sword and he gasps as his eyes open._

Aku blinked up at the ceiling. It was going to be morning soon. The sky outside was still black but he was wide awake. _This day is never going to fucking end._ He thought wearily. He wasn’t really upset that the day had been long. It was just that he could not seem to process it all. He thought that perhaps his human body had gone into shock. One some level he realized that it was not unusual for a human who’d been nearly tortured and shot at to be in shock. It was just irritating that _he_ was in shock. It wasn’t like he’d never been shot at before.

He didn’t think anyone had ever tried to torture him, at least not in a physical human sense, but every time he thought about it he just felt mild irritation. No, of course, what his mind kept going back to was Jack.

He’d only just had Jack point that _accursed_ sword at him and was mentally thrown back into his regular thought patterns, only for Jack to do a complete 360. Aku was still laying on the bed next to him, since they’d ‘gone to sleep’ hours ago. He knew it was his fault, really, he’d instigated it.

 _But he wasn’t expecting it to work._ He’d played on the knifes edge between murderous and flirtatious with Jack for years. A game he’d played with no one else. He hadn’t even done it on purpose. At first…

There had been a knock at the door. He really wished there had not been a knock at the door. The sound startled him so badly he’d jumped off of Jack and left him alone in the bedroom, hiding in the bathroom, questioning the meaning of life in general while he heard Jack talking to Ana, apologizing for leaving the back door open. Jack, of course, had brought him his regular clothes and had not said a damn word when he did it.

He took a shower and for a long time after, he waited in the bathroom, sitting on the sink, staring at the drops of water falling leisurely down the tiles. Imagining that they were red. His hair and beard were still wet and he’d thrown his clean clothes on so fast that they were now wet too but he just couldn’t bring himself to care.

When he’d finally convinced himself to leave the bathroom he walked into the dark and saw Jack laying on his side, facing away from him. That was unusual since he didn’t normally let Aku exist anywhere outside the range of his vision. Jack was very still and breathing slowly, pretending to be asleep. Did that mean that they didn’t have to talk? He relaxed in relief, trying to figure out what to do now. He knew what he wanted to do, but It might be a risky move... Since the rest of the day had gone so well he decided to risk it and laid himself down behind Jack, quickly aligning himself along Jack’s back and wrapped an arm around him. Maybe Jack would not toss him across the room.

Aku scrunched his face, like he was waiting to be punched or elbowed. Jack made a soft hum, continuing to lay still, and Aku was almost dizzy with relief. The warmth, the comfort, Jack’s smell, were all allowed to him for the moment. He rested his face just beside Jack’s soft hair.

Jack shivered.

“A-Aku?” Jack whispered.

Aku hummed in response, he did not want to move or accidentally encourage Jack to do so. He was mentally prepping himself for the awkward conversation that Jack was about to start.

“What does it feel like to move through space?” He meekly inquired.

Once again Aku was thrown by the sudden ‘innocent’ question. Aku seriously considered telling him to shut up and go to sleep so he could lay there in peace, but considering Jack had not thrown him bodily from the bed after cornering him like this he supposed it was only fair...

“What do you mean?” He asked in a soft voice.

“When you go out into space, between planets and stars. Is it uncomfortable?”

Aku blinked, and tilted himself up to look down at Jacks expression. He was blushing slightly, staring determinedly at the wall with his hair falling into his face. Aku pushed the hair out of Jack’s eyes.

“Why?” he asked with a small smile, “Do you want me to show you?”

Jack smiled, “Would that not kill me?”

Aku rested his head over Jack’s.

“No,” he said, “I would not...”

Jack hummed curiously.

“Nothing. No, it would not kill you.”

“What does it feel like to you?”

“Usually it is, ah, something I do not pay that much attention to. I am trying to get from one place to another where it is too far to teleport.”

“You really do not pay it much attention?” Jack asked, sounding surprised.

“No, I do not,” Aku agreed, smiling, “It is... cold, vast, and dark,”

“I cannot even imagine. It is, uh, like a fantasy to me. It is as colorful as the photos?”

“Well,” Aku said thoughtfully, slightly distracted by the fact that he was being allowed to pet through Jacks hair. “Most of those photos are colorized to help astronomers understand the details. There are some things out there that do have color though,”

“Do you find those things boring? Since you are just passing through,”

Aku laughed softly, “I suppose I noticed them _in_ passing at times. Stars, strange floating material, sometimes abandoned places.”

Jack stared at the wall, squinting, as if he was trying to see what Aku was describing.

“Our planet is much more beautiful,” he said, amusedly watching the growing wonder in Jacks eyes. “Underwater for instance,”

Jack smiled, “It is still difficult for me to fathom that anyone can live beneath the surface, even if you did put them there,” Jack gave him a side eye.

Aku coughed awkwardly.

“Anyway,” Aku continued, “It takes light to see all these colors and there is an abundance of light on earth. Even in strange places.”

“Like deep underwater?”

“Yes, bioluminescent creatures underwater or..or in caves, or so far into ancient forests that the trees otherwise block out the sun,”

Jack smiled, “I would like to see that,”

Aku wrapped his arm around Jack again, sighing.

“I would…” Aku started, struggling to put words to his jumbled thoughts, “I would do that for you,”

Jack was quiet for so long Aku wondered if he had fallen asleep.

“You are being extraordinarily kind,” he whispered nervously.

Aku snickered unhelpfully.

“Aku?”

“Jack?” he mocked back.

“If... uhm, if this-we...” Jack struggled for a long moment before saying in a small voice,

“ah..n-next time, please do not leave bruises,”

Aku made a noise like he was choking for a moment. He pulled Jack closer so that his mouth was just above his ear.

“I promise _nothing_ ,” he whispered seductively, Jack covered his face.

Now it was nearly morning but Aku smiled. He could feel that Jack was sleeping now because he was periodically twitching, which he only ever did when he was dreaming. Carefully, gingerly, he climbed out of the bed, grimacing when Jack moved again. But he was still dreaming. He stopped a few feet away to look at Jack again.

The Samurai was completely asleep; peaceful. He blinked tiredly, hoping to burn this image into his mind. He remembered seeing Jack in the mirror, sleeping, but he’d always seemed ridged, even when completely still. He slept lightly, some part of him constantly aware of his surroundings, coiled tight.

This Jack looked so much better to him, with his face pressed up into the blankets, arms around the pillow that should have been under his head, bent at a slightly odd angle. Jack was completely relaxed, right in front of him.

He gathered the clothes Jack had put under the bed and his own in the bathroom and to wash in the sink. He filled up the water and just let them soak for a while, listening to the soft drip of the tap after he’d shut it off and the crickets outside the small window. He then turned and quietly ascended the steps.

Aku put on his red shoes at the front door.

“Where are you going?” asked a high voice.

Aku froze. _Oh yes_. He’d forgotten about the little girl again.

“Uhhhh,” was all that came to him and to be fair he already had a lot on his mind! There wasn’t much energy left for drawing up creative on the spot lies that he’d have to remember later.

Ana got up off the couch and came towards him. It was still very dark but he could see her hair was a tangled mess and the whites of her eyes were bloodshot.

“Why are you awake?” He asked in a half whisper, backing away from the door.

She sighed, “I just... can’t sleep. I haven’t slept right since.. yeah,”

Aku frowned, tilting his head. She stared at him like she wanted to keep talking, but Aku could see the shaking all throughout her limbs, her lips quivering. She was trying not to cry. He sighed.

He sighed, “Fine. Come on,” he said, holding out a hand. She hurried over to him, clinging onto his hand. “You know,” Aku said, shutting the door as they walked out into the dark, “I am not the one you should be so friendly with. I am not...uh,”

“Friendly?”

“Right,” he laughed awkwardly.

She shrugged, still clinging to his hand with both of hers. Aku pretended not to see the tears or hear the sniffles as he lead her into the garden path. He really hated this, he didn’t know how to deal with _feelings_. Besides telling them to go away. He’d really wanted to be alone, but he tried to think what Jack might do.

“Ah, Jack found the video we wanted,”

She nodded in a forcefully happy way.

“I should not have told you not to cry,” he mumbled.

“But it bothers you,” she whined.

“It does.” He agreed and smiled down at her, “You should not care about that.”

She blinked, “but.. I like you,”

He scoffed and tried to stifle a laugh, “Yes, well... No. that is... It still does not matter. If you need to cry, then do it,”

“I’ve been crying constantly,” she complained weakly, gripping him harder when she struggled not to trip over a branch in the dark. He paused, watching her gather herself.

“You had better get some water then.” He said flatly. She burst into pained laughter that quickly descended into sobs. He guided her over to one of the little stone benches along the path and sat her down on it. He stayed silent, staring out over the flowers.

It did make him uncomfortable. _Really uncomfortable._ Yet as he observed, he couldn’t help feeling curious, in his own detached way. How much you would have to love someone to cry for them like that? It wasn’t like he hadn’t heard people in anguish before. But this was so open and completely unrelated to him. It was strangely beautiful. He felt the need to do something, not to stop her, just to... help?

He put his hand on her head gently. His mind wandered back to Jack, as it had been all night, and he wondered for the first time _how much_ pain he had given to Jack. It was still an abstract concept, but as Ana continued her melodic weeping, he began to quantify how much agony losing a family member could be. He felt a sudden illness spreading out through his chest and grimaced, sitting down beside Ana, and moving his arm over her. She leaned against him though she still cried.

“I heard ahh...” he mumbled and she peered at him through tangled red hair, “Your mother was very nice. People say she was beautiful. Did.. she look like you?”

She stared blearily before processing the question and nodding, swallowing down more tears.

“She was the nicest lady in the world,” she told him earnestly, “She always worked hard and she taught me everything about how to... do stuff. I didn’t go to school so she taught me to read, let me help her make beads, garden, and all everything...” she told him, in a high voice, face scrunched up in pain even as she smiled at him.

Aku sighed, “I am... sorry,” he muttered.

“Its not your fault,” she said.

Aku wondered if that was actually true. He had not killed her but—

“Aku is a monster. He doesn’t care what he ruins or about any of the people who live on this planet he says is _his_ ,” she spat.

Aku slowly removed his hand, rigidly staring into the tall flowers just barely reflecting moonlight.

“I see...” Aku felt frozen, unable to take in all the emotions his body seemed to be experiencing without him. He wanted to change the subject, stop her, run away, anything! But he just sat very still.

“I _hate_ him.” She whispered, hugging herself and sneering into the darkness, rocking back and forth, “I wish he was dead. I wish he never existed. I just want my Mom back! She didn’t deserve what he did,” she cried out, putting her head on her knees.

Aku felt his heart pounding in his throat. One side of him wanted to scream in a rage and throw her into a thorn bush, but the other side wanted to tell her who he was. He wanted her to know that it wasn’t his fault... but then, maybe it still was. He had failed to stop it from happening. And what would apologizing even do? She would loath him the second she realized who she’d allowed into her dead mothers home.

“Are you going to help Jack to kill him?” She asked in a quiet dark voice.

Aku froze in place. “ _What_?”

She lifted her head, “Is that why you’re traveling together? To defeat Aku?”

He was speechless and he stared down at her with his mouth partly open. Finally he whispered, “I don’t know,”

She peered at him, “You used to work for him, didn’t you?” She asked, though it didn’t sound like a question, “That’s why you are the way you are.”

“Uhh,” he looked away, struggling for some reasonable explanation but she just moved on.

“Can I ask you what it was like?”

“What?”

“What was it like to work for Aku? What is Aku like?”

Aku stared at her pitifully, before uncomfortably whispering, “He was.. he is, distant.”

She watched him and Aku felt like he was being x-rayed. _This is what you get for being nice._

“What do you want me to say?”

Ana studied him, “Did you like him?”

“I guess,” he said noncommittally.

“Why do you think he is so horrible?”

“He is just... like that.” he muttered, grimacing.

“Ana?”

They both looked up. Aku stood up quickly, afraid Jack would call out his real name—

“Yin?”

Aku let out a breath.

“We are over here, Jack,” she called.

Aku sighed, listening to the approaching footfalls. When he finally came into view, even in the dim light, he looked wide eyed and scared.

“I woke up and no one was in the house,” he explained, trying to calm himself, “And I heard crying, are you okay?”

Ana nodded, “Yeah, I’m good.”

Jack relaxed as he reached them, smiling tiredly, gently patting Ana on the back.

“You did not manage to sleep at all?”

“Nope,” She told him, “Maybe I’ll take a nap or something later,”

Aku smiled when he noticed the scarf Jack had wrapped around his neck and shoulders. He waited until he caught Jack’s eye so he could watch him turn red and glare. It was amusing, but his mood was still all over the place, and since he still had not had time to think he did not say much when Ana directed them both inside to have very early breakfast. He hardly paid attention to the food.

Jack watched Aku carefully. He didn’t know how to bring up what had happened and was too scared to ask, but he had a bad feeling about ignoring it. Of course, he couldn’t do it at the table anyway. He’d have to wait until later when Ana left them alone. Aku had been eerily quiet besides telling Ana about some of their adventures yesterday as she piled food on the table and refused to accept Jack’s help. Jack also noted that besides smirking at his scarf, he was being very aloof and resistant to looking Jack in the face.

“How will I ever repay you for all your kindness?” Jack asked Ana, smiling at her as she sat down. He hoped she would be able to eat more today. To him it seemed that she had begun to wither away.

“Don’t worry about it, like Yin said,” She told him, tearing a roll into pieces to shove into her mouth.

Yesterday morning before all the craziness had begun, Ana had assisted them in planning their ‘disguises’. She had given Aku several sparkling silvery beads which Jack had promptly tried to give back to her. Aku had cut him off with a sharp, ‘ _thank you_ ,’ and steady glare. He had asked her that same question then, to which she had said;

“Get justice for my mother,” her eyes dulled, filling with tears again. She turned to leave them at the entrance to her village when Aku caught her by the arm.

“Little girl, we do not know where anything is. Come with us.”

It wasn’t _exactly_ a friendly invitation, but Jack had been shocked just the same. He watched in awed confusion as Ana took his arm and lead them into town. They had gone into several shops where she explained to Jack how to use the beads as a currency. He’d also gotten on Aku’s last nerve following him about, and at one point, hugging him until he went rigid and patted her awkwardly before prying her off and sending her on her way. Jack had gawked at the entire exchange.

“What?”

“You like Ana,”

Aku had blinked at him.

“You have been... almost kind to her. She is becoming fond of you...”

Aku shrugged, “You are always so shocked when people like me,”

Jack flushed, “no no, I just meant,”

“I know what you meant, Samurai.” Aku said quietly.

Jack had stepped closer as they walked alongside the manmade stream that surrounded most of the main village where their shops, small hospital, and library were situated.

“Aku,” he’d whispered, “I did not mean anything bad by that...”

Jack took him by the wrist when he’d fallen into a silence and after a few minutes, Aku seemed to calm down.

Now he waited until breakfast was over to try and corner him into a conversation he knew Aku was avoiding. Avoiding it would do them no good. Even if he did understand the desire to not talk about it… No. They needed to talk. About a few things. He thought he’d start with an easy question.

When Ana went out for her own walk, Jack cut off Aku’s exit back into the basement.

“I want to talk to you,”

“No,” he said automatically.

Jack swallowed the ice, shifting uncertainly.

“No?” Jack repeated confused.

“No, whatever you are about to say. No.”

Jack hummed, “Well, I suppose I can give her the beads.”

Aku jumped, “What?!”

Jack raised his eyebrows, “You said, ‘no’. I wanted to ask you what a good way to repay Ana for the clothes and food she bought for us, might be. She has been letting us stay here, it is only fair to do something for her. Should we give her the beads back? You send they were valuable.

“No, you cannot just _give_ those away.”

Jack squinted, “You are not being helpful,”

Aku scoffed, scrubbing his face, “Fine! Give them away. Pass them out to the villagers! But those beads are _dangerous_ , so do not come crying to me when people come after whomever is in their possession.”

Jack rolled his eyes, “When have you ever seen me cry?” Jack snarked, annoyed, “And what do you mean they are ‘dangerous’?”

Aku crossed his arms and leaned on one hip, glaring down at him.

“You told me they are very valuable, is that why?”

Aku opened his mouth to speak but Jack held up a hand, he had noticed as Aku was shifting that he’d been running his hand over his shoulder, shifting his shirt where red marks stood out, obvious on his pale skin. Well, the first question had not been as easy as he’d thought it would be. Perhaps he should just skip to the other question…

“I...” he let out a nervous breath, “I did not hurt you, did I?”

Aku squinted at him, one eyebrow rising in confusion. “ _Hurt me_?”

Jack flushed, and motioned vaguely at his shoulders. It took Aku a moment to catch up.

“Wh-The scratches?!”

Jack nodded,

Aku shrugged, his posture relaxing, “I like them,”

He gasped and burned even more red. Aku laughed derisively, “You are so easily embarrassed! Are you not proud of the injuries you have given me?”

Jack grumbled, “Wha-uh...” Jack sighed, and smiled shyly, “Yes… I suppose.. I do not want to hurt you. I mean,… I have not… Well I have not- I’ve never...”

“Really?” Aku asked in surprise, reading the lines between Jack’s stuttering.

“I told you I have not been in any type of romantic relationship,”

Aku blinked owlishly, “That does not necessarily mean you have never had sex,”

Jack looked aghast, shoulders going stiff, face burning up to his forehead, “For me it does!”

Aku nodded smiling in amusement, “I see,”

Jack stuttered through a few sentences before finally just asking, “and you?”

Aku stared and then laughed, “No,”

Jack balked and Aku laughed again, “I Thank you for your shock, however, no. I’ve never sought out a relationship or sex. Actually I am not sure I’m physically... I am not sure it is possible for me as myself.”

Jack nodded thoughtfully.

“Is that why you did not want to answer me?”

Aku stiffened again but Jack took hold of his wrist, hoping the same tactic would work twice.

“I just...no, it is nothing,”

Jack looked up at him. The sweet eyed stare just about did Aku in, he immediately dropped his hands to his sides, relaxing.

“Please do not lie.”

“I did not want to listen to you tell me about what a _mistake_ it was. Last night…”

Jack stared, swallowing thickly, “You think it was a mistake?”

Aku squinted down at him, “...I do not feel ... I...” he looked away and Jack remained still and silent, hoping to coax whatever it was out of him.

“It was not a mistake to me.” He finally said.

Jack sighed in relief, Aku looked at him,

“I did not think it was a mistake,” he said shyly, “It just happened very fast,”

Aku shifted, blinking rapidly.

“Well, I am sorry I ruined your innocent self image,”

Jack scoffed, covering his face again.

“Since I am not your friend, does that mean you no longer require a romantic relationship?” He snickered.

Jack flushed, voice caught in his throat, he couldn’t find the words to answer. He was about to argue when a vibration in his feet caught his attention.

“Do.. you do you feel that?” He asked in a whisper. Aku’s eyes grew wide, he looked around the room. The the entire house shook. Aku stumbled a few steps before landing on the couch, peering out the window.

Jack smelled smoke and felt heat pouring in quickly.

“Samurai.” Aku said, staring wide eyed at something in the distance, “Could it be that?”

Jack hurried over to the window, jaw dropping as the sky began to stain itself red.

“Oh, that is a problem,” Aku said in a strained voice.

“ANA!” Jack screamed and Aku fell off the couch in surprise. She had gone outside. Jack ran for the door and Aku scrambled after him.

“Jack!”

Jack ran into the street calling for her and groaned when she came running around one of the flower mazes.

“What is it! What is it!” she cried, barely stopping when she reached him.

“We must get you out of here,” he told her,

“Why?”

“He has found us.” Aku said, catching up to them and tossing Jack’s geta on the ground in front of him. Jack quickly put them on.

“Aku?”

Aku blinked, “No. Nebula.”

“Nebula? The red demon?” She asked, and then her eyes focused on the distant light and they all turned, mouths agape, as fire shot through a street and although the could not see it, they could hear the as people ran screaming.

“We must help them!”

Aku grasped Jack while Ana fearfully watched.

“Jack, if you go over there you are doing _exactl_ y what he wants you to do!”

Jack tried to shake him off, “You expect me to _stand here_ and _watch_?!”

Aku grasped him by the back of his gi, refusing to let go, “You cannot win in a fight against him!” He yelled in a rage that made Jack look back at him. Aku’s face was twisted with fear, “I will not be able to save you again! _Do you understand me_?!”

Jack let out a breath, and took Aku by the arm to pry himself loose, “This is what I do, _Yin_. No matter what, I will help them.”

Aku stopped his foot into the ground, “You will die uselessly!” He screamed, pointing into Jacks face so close Jack was afraid he’d be smacked.

“What will all your humans do when you are _dead?!”_ Aku roared, _“_ You cannot win this battle. But you can win this war! Do not act on your self righteous whims!”

Jack growled, “I will not leave them to die!” He screamed back.

“Then don’t !” cried Ana.

They both looked down at her, confused.

“The buildings don’t matter, Samurai Jack.” She said, hurrying towards him, “We can help the people escape. Let’s do that!”

Jack frowned, “I cannot let you go with us—“

“We do not have time for this, Sa-Mu-Rai!” Aku hissed, Jack blinked at the familiarly enraged intonation. “Tell us what you need us to do!”

Jack nodded sharply, “A-Yin, keep Ana with you at all times. Ana do not leave his side! Do you understand?”

“Yes,” they both said.

Jack turned to look at the buildings. “I will go in the entrance gate, and you two go lead people away. If you can, tell them to stay out of sight. Follow the alleyways out. Take them into the forrest, do not ontinue on a path, do not let him see you. I will meet you back in the end of the trail as soon as possible.”

“Do not be seen,” Aku commanded.

Jack smiled and nodded, “Go, hurry, be safe,” he said and ran.

Aku wanted to resent being stuck with Ana again but the moment he felt her grasp his hand to run with him the annoyance dissipated. Fearlessly, she lead him towards the sound of screaming. She tripped as a man barreled out of a side street and knocked her down. Aku hissed in shock and pulled the man off her.

“Oh God! Ana, I’m so sorry,” said the man, helping her up. She nodded, wheezing slightly.

“Follow,” she mumbled, caught up in her gasps,

“Follow the trail up the hill,” Aku said, pointing into the woods, “Take anyone you can with you, take them out of eyesight of the red demon.”

He nodded, quickly apologizing again as he hurried down another path, collecting some screaming teenagers on his way.

Aku and Ana hurried people along, directing them up. Soon people began to notice and ran after their friends and family. Jack had obviously told some people as well, since they came running from much further away to follow the small trail.

Lightning crashed deafeningly into buildings at random. Sparking the flames that were overtaking the buildings, feeding on the weeds between the old stone and crawling unnaturally fast across the streets. People were screaming in fear, trying to knock one another over as they ran for their lives. Jack helped another man to his feet just as the building they stood beside began to collapse. He would not be able to get them all out in time! The fire was nearly licking their heels.

A dog barked from a window and Jack ran, dogging people and fire as he shouldered through the door and whistled. He thanked the Gods that it worked as the dog ran into his arms, whimpering and shaking with fear. He picked up the dog, large as he was, and hurried back onto the street. The dog struggled and he set him down, watching it race towards itspeople. Jack coughed, the buildings were burning hotter and hotter, stealing the air, nearly circling them.

An idea struck. Jack ran for the bridge, avoiding a failing wall as he went. He reached the bridge and looked down at the old walls beneath it, seven feet of old wall separating the river from the streets. Jack climbed over the edge of the bridge and ran his hands quickly over the stones, feeling one move slightly he backed up to kick it, feeling the wall shiver as he did. Soon it was loose and a steady stream of water came pouring out, he kicked another out, and another, until he heard the sound of stones quivering against each other. He ran again, just as the wall collapsed and released the river behind it. Jack was swept off his feet for a moment as it poured out into the village, drowning fires as it rushed to fill the space.

Gingerly he stood, panting, and looked for the rest of the villagers. He saw a couple people still struggling over a wall, looking like the water had knocked them over as well, but they were soon gone too. He sighed, about to follow when another lightning bolt hit the tree just in front of him, forcing him to run back in. He hid behind a wall, and watched the sky, trying to spot the red demon before he struck again.

“Why should we listen to you?! Who put you in charge of _my_ child?! I don’t think we need to—”

“UP!” Aku screamed and she jerked away in surprise.

The woman’s face went beat red and she puffed out her cheeks like an angry chipmunk.

“How dare you?!” She screamed back, startling several families trying to coax their kids up the hillside.

“Lady, will you be quiet?!” One of the guys whisper yelled at her.

“You are all just doing what he says without question! Where are we even going? My daughter is starving and I want to know where this trail ends!”

Aku just stared at her. People always amazed him. Their cleverness, bravery, and their _stupidity_ never ceased to reach new heights.

“Well?” She screeched, stomping over to Aku, “I thought you wanted to help! How is this helping?!”

Aku raised his eyebrows, “I swear if you get any closer,”

“What? You’re goanna slap a young mother around, huh? Nobody will listen to you then will they?”

Aku glanced at daughter and saw her looking horribly embarrassed and frightened as her mother blocked her from climbing the hill.

“Let me tell you a little secret, lady,” Aku said, putting his hands on his hips, “You are in the way, and if you do not move _out_ of the way, I will _make_ you move.”

She slapped him, palm flat, and it echoed awkwardly between the families tense silences. Aku’s eyes went wide as saucers.

“Please, Martha,” a lady in a blue dress with a tiny baby in her arms whispered, “We want to get our babies out of here first. Then we can figure it out from there,”

“No. I am not moving!” She cried, turning back to Aku, “How dare you try and scare me with petty threats! Who the hell do you think you are?”

Aku burst into laughter and several people scrambled away in surprise.

“Petty?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah! _Petty_!” She hissed and then blanched when Aku grasped her by her upper arms, dragging her closer.

“I do not make petty threats,” he said lowly and then tossed her bodily from the hillside into the muddy water below. The water was still rising from the broken dam below the old bridge.

“Oh okay,” said the woman in a blue dress, “Uh...” she looked nervously at Aku, “Please don’t hurt me, I just want to go up,”

Aku held out a hand which she anxiously took and helped her up onto the hill where the rest of the group was. There were only a couple of small clusters now, muttering fearfully, pointing back into the village.

“Come on,” Aku said, leading the last of them up. The daughter of the women he’d thrown waited at the top of the hill for her mom, who was spitting curses and gagging on mud. He glared when Ana slid back down the hill.

“Are you good?”

“What? Of course,” he said flatly,

She smiled, “I don’t think you’d make a good checker, but that was _hilarious_ ,” she giggled, “I’ll go help her,”

Aku shook his head, “‘ _who do you think you are_?’” He muttered angrily to himself, “You’re so lucky that you caught me like this, _fool_ ,”

Ana returned quickly, the woman cursing and spitting in tow as she followed her daughter up the hill. Aku didn’t even try to glare at her, he was scanning the flaming distance, looking for white.

“Where _is_ he?” He growled.

Nebula paused above the village, and there was a sudden silence besides the wind shaking the fall trees and the rush of water in the square.

Aku looked at the square from where he stood, something was... _something was horribly wrong._

Jack was still down there in the water, beside the crumbling buildings, and he knew he should be fine there. A thought struck him and he pushed Ana backwards yelling, “DO NOT MOVE!” as he bolted back down the trail.

“Yin?!” He slipped in mud and landed on his hands and knees but that barely stopped him. Another small group was hurrying up the hill and Aku pointed back up when they tried to ask him where everybody else had gone. _Jack._ He was still down there and he hadn’t realized. He ran along the stone wall until he neared the middle, there he crouched and searched along the edges of all the buildings.

For a moment he panicked as his movement-based predator eyes searched for life, but then, there he was. Crouched low between a fallen _still smoking_ wall, and the tree it was leaning against. He was calf-high in water which was exactly what Aku was afraid of. Jack was hyper focused on the red light above them and he didn’t know how to get his attention without also getting Nebula’s.

He crawled slightly closer, still in the shadow of the buildings and dipped his fingers into the water, flinging it over at Jack. It missed in distance but the tiny noise was enough to make Jack look back at him and then glare. Aku motioned for him to come over but Jack shook his head. Aku bit his tongue and his desire to curse at him for not just doing what he’d asked. He had no idea how much danger he was in.

Aku’s hair began to rise on his arms and the back of his neck. Yes, he could taste the difference in the air. It was too late.

The lightening crashing into the buildings shook the water and loosened the stones on which Aku was crouched. He fell sideways into the water. Another bolt hit a building further away. Aku hurried over to Jack and grasped him by the arm. Jack grimaced and they turned to flee when lightning struck the tree just before them, exploding the wall. Jack yanked Aku back into the building, through a hole in its foundation. Aku was immediately covered in sticky soot and choking on humid burning air. They backed away from the water, looking back up at the creaking building foundations. They could hear it shifting and some of the roof was on fire.

They couldn’t stay here.

They couldn’t leave.

Jack took his sword from the sheath and Aku glared at him.

“Perhaps he will leave,” Jack mouthed at him and Aku grimaced, looking out the windows and broken holes in the walls. There was a collapsed desk beside them, with a broken teller machine.

**_SAMURAI JACK_ **

Said the red demon in a taunting voice. Aku crouched again, eyes flicking around the room. Jack did the same beside him, holding his sword defensively out before him.

**_Where are you hiding him, Jack?_ **

Jack froze glancing anxiously at Aku and they drew closer together, back to back, silently watching.

Lightning struck the water outside and they _heard_ it humming, hissing, and popping as the electricity traveled through the flooded streets. Jack let out a short breath, quietly whispering, “ _Thank you,_ ”

“I really hate you right now,” Aku hissed back as quietly as he could through his teeth. He felt the uncomfortable laugh Jack stifled.

A scream rang through the air. There was a bright light and the roof cracked loudly, throwing them both to the floor. Jack threw himself over Aku as the ceiling crashed in over them. Small fires spat and crackled around them.

Jack groaned in frustration as he pushed support beams off himself, struggling not to cough.

“Aku?” He whispered and got no response. He leaned down, angling his sword away as he tilted Aku’s face to the side. Aku looked blearily at him, but he seemed to be okay. Jack helped him to sit up, and they peered up at the hole in the roof above them. The building was a few floors tall, or it had been, and now the red light was raining down on them through a haze of smoke and dust.

“We have to get out of here,” Aku muttered. He coughed into his sleeve.

Jack opened his mouth to speak when he heard something that made him jump to his feet.

**_Where have all the humans gone, Samurai Jack?_** Called Nebula, laughing, **_do you think I will not find them? Come out now or I will have to take my anger out on someone else. Besides, I just want to talk..._**

Jack tensed, staring up at the ceiling, he could hear Aku growling like he was reading his mind. But they both knew he had to do something. He stepped forward slowly and Aku grabbed him.

“No, no, no!” Aku growled and Jack looked back at him fiercely.

“Do you not trust me to find a way out myself?”

Aku glared, “Of course not! That is the whole point!”

Jack pushed him off gently. “Can you use your powers?”

“What?”

“Can you teleport us?”

Aku blinked and then turned slightly away, spreading his fingers and furrowing his brow. Jack watched him struggle for a moment before saying, “Stay here, I will lead him toward the river and then I will escape. Leave when he is gone.”

Jack wasn’t sure if that was exactly what he would do but he knew he had escaped Nebula before so it was _possible_ for him to do it again. Maybe. Jack turned away before Aku could argue and slid down the broken floor out one of the jagged walls.

He snuck across the street, jumping over the water in the alley and climbed onto a roof, careful where he set his feet. Jack looked up at the red light and squinted. He crouched down low, watching the red ball of lightning sway gently as if in thought. It did not take Nebula long to notice him, the lightning dissipated and he floated down a few feet before Jack, his red hair moving in slow motion around him. He smiled at, showing rows of pointed teeth. Jack glared.

“What do you want? You have already turned this place to rubble! Is that not what you wanted?”

Nebula’s icy blue eyes widened before he threw his head back, laughing, before fading into malicious giggles.

“Jack, Jack, _Jack_ ,” he said, tisking, “You do like to _play with fire_ don’t you?”

Jack didn’t respond, he just held his sword at the ready. Nebula paid it no mind.

“I hear you are playing pet to Aku. You humans are always so sentimental, keeping all of your old things, even when they are a dead weight. Keeping your former enemy so close though? That is one I have never seen before.”

Jack still did not respond, he just observed the cold smile on Nebula’s pale face and thought of dark water. Deep lifeless water frozen under layers of ice.

Nebula stepped forward, through air, and held out his arms, “Tell me where he is, Jack,”

“I do not know where he is. I have not seen him since the last time I saw _you_ ,”

Nebula snickered, “Lying isn’t your strong suit, Samurai. I know about your little adventures. Did you find what you were looking for?”

“I do not know what you are talking about.”

“So quick to defend Aku...” he said smirking, “Even after he killed Ania?”

Jack flinched, glowering, causing Nebula to triumphantly smile.

“What did he tell you to make you believe he was innocent? Was it just because he saved you? You, his last chance to survive _me_? Does he use his powers when it’s convenient for him, Jack?” He smirked knowingly, “How would you be able to tell? He is a master manipulator, and a shape shifter after all,”

Jack felt cold running down his shoulders, thinking of the fire, the sudden speed... But then, why would Aku not use them now? When both of their lives were in danger? He blinked rapidly, he needed to focus on right now.

Nebula grinned, “Am I right again?” He asked in a mockingly gentle voice, tilting his head.

Jack refused to respond.

“What did he tell you about the beads then, Samurai?”

“What?” He muttered, taken aback.

“Did he warn you about how dangerous they are? How much they are worth? Or… did you not figure out why he had to get rid of Ania?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The only one who makes the beads. He had to make sure there were no more! And no one to make more in the future.”

Jack shifted nervously.

“What did he say to get you to hand them over, Samurai? He couldn’t let you keep them, of course. Did you _let_ him destroy them? Did he _steal_ them from you?”

Jack frowned, his sleeves currently covered his wrists, but he could feel the beads, a slightly cool weight against his skin.

“What are you talking about?” Jack asked softly, still holding out his sword.

“The magic beads, Jack. _Magic_. Don’t you know what you can make with magic?” Nebula laughed, “Of course you don’t! Why would Aku _tell you_ that you can use them to _go home_?” He sighed, leaning back as if he were in an arm chair, crossing his legs at the knees and his arms behind his head. “He can’t have his guard dog escaping now, can he?”

The news was meant to shock him. He knew. But in his memory he saw them tied in a tight knot around his wrist. Aku had the perfect opportunity to do whatever he wanted to them. But… he’d just given them back. Jack thought for a moment before tilting his head down and sliding the sword into the hilt in defeat.

“Aku is hiding,” Jack said in a miserable voice, pointing to the right, “He is in that building...”

“Thank you, Samurai,”

Nebula turned away, pausing only to smile before sending lightning crashing into the building Jack had pointed too. He turned back to Jack, and then blinked at the empty space.

Jack had flinched at the light and the sound before jumping off the building and hitting the shallow water hard. He ran down a different path, behind the building he’d come from and peered inside. Aku was crouched behind a desk watching the other building take a beating. Jack took his idea and flicked water at him. Aku jerked, relaxing when he saw who it was. He hurried over and Jack helped him out of the broken exit.

“What did you do?” Aku whispered incredulously.

“I... lied,” he said smiling a little at the shock he caused, “Now come with me,” he grabbed Aku by the hand and lead him across the flooded path in another direction.

Up the hill and into the forrest they went, watching Nebula tear through the buildings, searching for Aku.

“You do not think he will set the trees on fire again?” Jack asked nervously as they neared the sounds of nervously whispering people.

Aku angrily shrugged, “I do not know. He is unpredictable.”

Jack sighed, nodding, “I fear what he will do when he figures out that you are not crushed under that building.”

Aku snickered and smiled at Jack, “That is what you lied about?”

Jack blushed, “Yes, he thought I would tell him where you were. He seemed to think that you...”

Jack’s eyes grew wider.

“What?” Aku asked nervously,

Jack shook his sleeve down his arm, exposing the beads.

“He told me ‘the reason’ why you had broken these,” Jack whispered,

Aku blinked, “But I did not.”

Jack nodded, “No, which is odd considering what he told me. But it may have been a lie as well,”

Aku stared with eyebrows high, waiting impatiently.

“Ah, he told me that... These beads can be used to create a portal.” He said softly, watching Aku’s expression shift from annoyed to confused and then nervous.

“Ah...”

“Is that true?” He asked gently,

Aku squinted and Jack could _see_ the two sides of him fighting behind his green eyes. He decided to intervene before he was tempted to do something stupid.

“Aku. I promised to help you defeat Nebula, and I intend to keep my promise,”

Aku shifted uncomfortably, stepping closer as if someone might hear them. He took Jack by the wrist so they were very close, both looking at the beads.

“I would think...” he mumbled uncomfortably, “That it is possible. Likely, even, that they could be used in such a way. It... ah, it would require...”

Jack put his hand on Aku’s chest, stopping him. It was more than enough that he’d tried to tell him.

“Why did you not break them?”

He smiled uncomfortably, “It did not occur to me,”

Jack tilted his head, “Oh,” he stared at Aku for a long moment before smiling at him, “I did not, ah, I did not realize how much trust you had placed in me,”

Aku tensed, “I did not say that,”

Jack smirked a little, “It says a lot, to _me_ , that you would not think of me doing such a thing. You spend a lot of time thinking of what people may do, of creative plans for the future, of predictions...But you could not even imagine that I would do something like that?”

Aku shifted on his heels, looking away, “You are not _me_ ,”

“No.” Jack agreed, “But _you_ are you.”

Aku shrugged, looking almost embarrassed, but mostly annoyed.

“Yin!” Screamed a high voice, followed quickly by, “Jack!!”

They looked over and saw Ana running over to them, hugging Jack around the waist.

“I was so scared!! I didn’t know where the heck you guys went!” She cried, hugging him tight, “I’m happy you’re back,”

Jack smiled, “I am happy to see that you are well,”

Aku patted her on the head. She rolled her eyes at him.

“What should we do now?” Ana asked, backing off a few steps to look between them, “Some people live kinda far away so they already went home. Mostly the buildings in there are for job stuff.. So.. should everyone go home?”

Jack frowned, glancing back at the sky. He could still see red clouds circling in the distance.

“I think it is best if we all stay as far away from the red demon as possible,”

Ana nodded and ran back into the crowd, rapidly talking to the haggard people standing there.

“Why is her face bruised?”

“Someone knocked her over,” Aku said quickly, “Now, what are _we_ going to do?”

“We still have not been able to see the video...” he thought out loud, “But going back to Ana’s home is dangerous. At least, it would be dangerous for _her_ if we are there.”

Aku glanced over at her, energetically offering to help people.

“Hmm,”

“What?”

“Do you really believe she is going to let us leave her alone?”

Jack blinked, “What do you mean? She cannot follow us, it is too dangerous. What if the shadow sisters find us again? What happens _when_ Nebula finds us again?”

Aku raised an eyebrow, “ _Jack_ , do you really think I want to drag her around? I am saying that _she_ will not want to be alone.”

Jack frowned, “I see your point,” he said sadly. To be honest, he did not really want to leave her alone either. He knew she was still very sick from the death of her mother. Probably would be for a long time yet, and leaving her alone seemed cruel. But so did putting her in harms way.

“Lets get away from these idiots,” Aku mumbled, motioning to the people in general. Jack gave him a flat look.

“We can get further away from here, camp out for a few nights while we figure out what to do now.” He growled, “I have to get my powers back. I will figure out his weaknesses and then _I am going to rip him to shreds!!”_

Jackstepped back, “Yes. We should figure out his weaknesses and find a way to get you your powers back.” Jack heard the nervous tremor in his voice, and looked away before Aku could ask him what had caused it.

Ana hurried back to them after the last group began to wander away, several of them using phones to find their way out.

“Okay, should we go home now?” She asked, “I think I can sleep finally,”

Jack sighed, “Ana, I think it is for the best if-“

“No!” She cried, looking between them again, “You can’t just leave me alone now? I want to help! _Please_! I have been helping! I can keep helping!” She yelled in a rush.

Jack looked at Aku and Aku shrugged, raising his eyebrow like he was saying: _See? I told you so_.

Jack shook his head, “You have been amazingly helpful and very brave,” he began gently.

Ana stomped her foot, “Then why do you want to get rid of me now?!” Her eyes were welling with tears and Jack grimaced sympathetically.

“I do not want to get rid of you. I wish to keep you safe. I do not know what I would do if yo were killed because of me,”

Ana looked desperately at Aku who frowned, crossing his arms.

Ana wilted like she’d been slapped, her red hair fell over her face as she cried. Jack bit his lip, looking back at Aku.

Aku shrugged again.

Jack sighed, kneeling down in front of her, “Ana?”

She nodded but did not move her hands from her face.

“We are going to spend the next couple of days here. You can stay with us for that time, but then after that, for your own safety, I _must_ leave you here.”

She nodded, slowly pulling her hands from her face. She stepped slowly around him and walked up to Aku, staring up at him sadly.

“W-what?”

“I’m tired,” she told him. Jack stood again, blinking.

“Carry me please?”

Jacks eyes went wide and he gave Aku a stern look.

Aku looked between them in horror for a few moments before groaning and rolling his eyes.

“Fine!” he growled, picking her up quickly, grumbling as she latched onto his side. Jack smiled at him and received a piercing glare. It only made him laugh.

Jack lead them deeper into the woods, heading for shelter and darkness. It was lucky they had gotten to eat so early sinceit was now nearly midday and they would have been very hungry. As it was, Jack still felt slightly hungry but it was not yet a problem.

“Can I ask you another question?” Ana said suddenly.

“What?” Aku said, more out of confusion than assent.

“You never really got to tell me earlier about.. what it was like. You know? Working for…”

“Ah!” Aku groaned, “Must we continue this conversation?” he whined, squinting at Ana.

“I just want to know more about him. You said that you liked him at some point. Was he nice to you?”

“Was who nice to you?” Jack asked confused.

“Aku,” Ana asked shyly. Jack’s eyes grew wide.

“Oh,” Jack said softly, taken aback.

“Please? I really want to know,” Ana asked,

Aku looked to Jack for help. Jack smiled and turned away, indulging in her questions much to Aku’s chagrin.

“Na-ah- he... is fine. Was fine. He was fine towards me...” Aku mumbled.

Ana stared at him in wonder, “So... how come you decided to betray him and help Jack? Did he do something to you?”

“No,” Aku said annoyed, rubbing his face with his free hand, “No he did not.”

“Then why?” She prodded.

Jack looked at him curiously and Aku glared, baring his teeth.

“That is a good question, Ana,” Jack agreed amusedly, “What did I do to make you change your mind?”

Aku looked away, jaw set, staring at nothing. Jacks smile faded. He hadn’t meant to actually upset him, but he could see that Aku did not find it funny. He was about to apologize when;

“I had considered it before that.”

“You wanted to help Jack before?!” She cried out confused, “But you said you liked Aku!”

“I did! Do? I-Ag! Can we talk about something else?!”

Ana frowned, nodding, “Sorry, I just wanted to know,”

Aku sighed, scrubbing his face with his hand, “I see that. It is not a simple answer. No ‘Devine light’ came down and told me to see the error of my ways, girl, I just... did.”

Jack smiled, looking away before Aku could read the fondness in his expression.

“And.. I just don’t get how you could ever like him.” Ana said, shaking her head in disbelief.

Jack bit his cheek, glancing at Aku and freezing when he saw that Aku was staring at him angrily.

“Is it so difficult to sympathize with a person who does what he wants? Who is what he wants to be?”

Jack tilted his head up slowly, “It makes me wonder if he can sympathize with those whom he takes from, and those whom he resides over,”

Aku shrugged, glancing off again, “maybe, I do not know,”

Ana hummed falling into another tired silence.

The walk into the woods was slow and arduous, Aku switched the arm he was carrying Ana in twice, and they were still getting tired. Jack had to get out his sword to remove a couple thorny and brambled obstacles as they went and quickly the sun began to set. Jack tripped over an old rope trap that had been tied between trees so long ago that the the knots were no longer visible under thick bark.

Deciding he’d had enough, he cleared a space between huge looping roots and had them all sit down. Aku set Ana on the ground and stretched out his arms. Jack leaned against him the moment he relaxed, hopping that he might share some quickly dissipating warmth. Aku didn’t seem to mind. Jack smiled when Ana did the same on Aku’s other side, pulling her arms into her shirt and tucking herself under his arm.

Aku blinked down at his company, feeling a little like he was having a weird dream about somebody else’s life.

He was reminded of a question Jack had asked. _What would he do if he were to be trapped in this body for the rest of his life_? Or... a human lifetime. Something.

He sighed, tilting his face so that he could feel Jack’s soft hair on his cheek. Maybe it wouldn’t be too awful.

 _No_... it would be awful! Being trapped in this human body, unable to use his powers again, to be himself again. Knowing, _remembering_ , what it felt like to be Aku? Would be hell.

But this part would not be so bad, he could hear that Ana had already fallen asleep and Jack seemed close to doing so himself. He felt heat rising in his throat, connected to some unformed thought. It was not a feeling he remembered having before. He relaxed, allowing himself to fall into the feeling, to wonder what it meant.

It was oddly close to anger, which was confusing to him because he did not have any particular reason be angry. Jack pushed just slightly closer to him and the emotion intensified. He blinked. It wasn’t _jealousy_. What the hell was it? Maybe he would never figure it out. He let out a short breath.

_How was he going to keep them safe?_

There it was. _That_ was the feeling. Not quite possessiveness, of which he was familiar, but the desire to keep them safe. He blinked slowly, tilting his head as he stared out into the softly falling darkness.

Today he had saved Jack, _again_. Actually he’d spent most of the morning worrying about him. He’d kept Ana out of harms way. He’d helped a group of fleeing villagers escape a monster.

Who was he?? For a tense moment he seriously considered throwing them both off and leaving. Having his own _space_ , reminding Jack at the very least that he was not just some random villager he’d made friends with. They were not friends. Even if…

Jack sensed the sudden tensing. He looked up at Aku curiously. He was staring out into the darkness with a slight glow behind his eyes. He blinked and the glow was gone…but he was quite sure it had been there. Jack touched his hand to get his attention and Aku ldid look at him. Jack read the lines between his features, that particular expression, blank and distant. He recognized it now.

He smiled up at him, without moving himself away, listening to the rushing heartbeat and feeling the swell of air in his lungs as he took in a sharp breath and let it out again.

“What?” Aku said finally, quietly, yet still irritably.

“You are thinking about something unpleasant?” Jack guessed in a whisper.

Aku blinked and then let out a soft ‘hah’, as he shook his head.

“How can you see that from just looking at me?”

“Can you not see it when I am thinking of something bad?”

Aku nodded slowly, “Yes but…”

“You are not used to people paying that kind of attention to you?”

Aku rolled his eyes and leaned his head over Jack’s.

“Shut up, Samurai.”

Jack laughed softly, “Okay,” then whispered even more softly. “Aku.”

Aku’s eyes opened. He was not entirely sure what had woken him, his eyes would not focus. Jack went ridged just as suddenly, grasping Aku by the shoulder. Unconsciously, Aku tightened his arm around Ana. Jack bolted upright and grasped them both, throwing the three of them into a painful roll. They slid through wet leaves disguising a tight ravine. Ana screamed in terrified confusion. Jack screamed as lightning struck the ground where they had just been. There were sharp weeds tearing at their skin as they went fell through moss into a dry rocky ground. Ana suddenly quiet. Aku scrambled back onto his hands and knees, painting in fear.

“Ana!?” He hissed, his eyes struggling to adjust from red lightning to pitch darkness again. There was no response. “Jack?”

“Here,” he heard the small reply. Aku turned, stumbling toward where he heard the noise and nearly stepping on something soft. Blindly, he searched the ground, finding Ana and pulled her back up into his arms. He could feel her heart beating rapidly.

Jack touched Aku’s arm and Aku jerked, “Sorry,” Jack whispered, “We have to move. Quietly.”

Aku felt Jack moving his hand over Ana’s neck, checking her pulse.

“I cannot see to tell if she is hurt,”

“Me either, but we need to get out of here.”

“Here,” Aku said, quickly pushing her into Jack’s arms.

“What?”

“He’s after _me_ , Jack,” he growled and Jack felt more than saw him begin to tip toe across the rocky ground. His hair stood on end. A buzzing static filled the night air. Aku slowed down somewhat, turning to try and spot Nebula behind them. It was unusual for the red demon to stop being alight. Maybe if he spotted him—

Jack let out another cry of pain it seemed to Aku, and _then_ the light hit the ground right before him. Blinded again, he could only hear the strained breathing and rustling of leaves as Jack tried to right himself.

Oh Gods, he knew what came next and could not help but brace himself. But the lightning did not hit him, it struck the ground again just a few feet away. For a split second he saw Jack on the ground, bent strangely against the rocks.

Another bolt hit and the ground rose up hard to meet Aku. The wind had been knocked out of him, and his nose instantly burned, a soft red light began to illuminate the narrow ravine. He forced himself back up and looked for them.

Both of them were laying there. Completely still.

They didn’t move.

“I do get tired of games, Samurai,” came Nebula’s voice. Nebula floated elegantly to the ground and stood upon the moss, burning holes into the earth and stone where he stood. Aku ground his teeth as he forced himself to his feet. His vision went red. Rage, pure as fire was rising inside him.

“No,” Jack said tiredly, glaring at Nebula,

“No? _No what_? No more games? I asked you for one thing and you couldn’t even—”

“ _That is enough_ ,” Aku said quietly, “I am right here,”

Nebula froze in place, curling his fingers in and turning to face him, a horrid smile slashing across his glowing face.

“So you _have_ stayed here with your humans?” He whispered back excitedly, “Here I thought that you’d had enough sense to abandon them by now!”

Aku growled, “I thought you came to kill me, not to torture me with your endless monologue,”

Nebula snickered, “Straight and to the point, Aku,” he said, pointing at him and sending a red wave of electricity through the ground up into his feet. Aku buckled and fell to his knees hissing. Somewhere slightly outside of him he realized there was a terrible pain, but he was far too angry to feel it.

“What...” Aku panted as soon as the waves ceased, “will you do when I am dead, Nebula? Will you take my place?! Is that what you want?”

Nebula laughed, “You think I want what _you_ have? I could have taken the humans world away from you eons ago,” he said lowly, “I am tired of you. Constantly drawing from power that is not yours! Waking the dead! Waking _me_ , from such a peaceful dream...”

Aku struggled to get up again.

“After I’ve gotten rid of you and any other _irritating_ traps you’ve set in my way, I’ll restart the planet. Do away with the people and their beasts, the never ending banter, building, tearing down, endless endless noise! We have no use for this place or these people... it will be quiet once again,” he said softly, smiling into the black sky.

Aku sneered.

Jack sat up, queasy and dizzy. He looked over and gasped in sharp horror.

“Why do you wait then?” Aku growled, dragging himself to his feet like a zombie, just unwilling to go down and stay down, “What took you so long to find me? Surely you could have found me faster than _that. I’ve seen demons move faster in their dying breaths,”_

Nebula snarled, “You want to test me, do you?”

Jack felt Ana stirring close by, but he could not move. He could not feel his body. She crawled closer to him, and he could see blood dripping from a cut somewhere under her hair. She leaned over him, putting her cold hands on his face.

“Samurai Jack?” she whispered.

Jack hummed. It was all he could do.

“He’s got Yin!” She said quieter then the wind in the leaves.

Jack didn’t reply.

“You would never dare give me my powers back, would you?” Aku asked, holding out his arms, “We can have a _real_ duel. No more games. No running. It shall only over when one of us is _dead_!”

Nebula squinted at him, “That sounds like a fine game to me, Aku. But like you said, I am not here to play any more games.” He shot lightning through him again and Aku locked in place, his vision blurred horribly, he heard a strange rushing sound, and then it was over. Blood dripped from his mouth and he only had a second to wonder where it had come from when it happened again.

“No, no, no,” Ana cried, breathing in painfully,

Jack struggled to move. Nothing.

Aku _screamed_. Ana and Jack both froze in shock. It was a sound like nothing he had ever heard before. All the times he had shrieked in pain, or in rage at Jack, but this sound was almost unrecognizable as the demon he knew. It was pure agony.

His muscles screamed in a rage as he forced himself upwards. He could not just lay here and let this happen. Ana gasped and Jack looked up. For a moment, he locked eyes with Aku. There was a strangely dull expression on his face as the electricity left his body. He fell, nearly limp, heavily, to his knees.

Jack stood and drew his sword but before he could get it all the way out of the sheath Nebula shot lighting at him sideways. It knocked him off his feet, sending him flying.

Ana screamed in fear.

Nebula looked at Ana as if he’d only now realized she was there. She jumped to her feet, backing away, tears streaming down her face. He stepped closer slowly,

“Shhh,” he said softly once he reached her, patting her on the shoulder, “I won’t hurt _you_ , Ana.”

“Wha..what- Why are you hurting my friends!?” She screamed.

As Jack struggled to get back onto his feet he cursed himself for letting her come. She was so brave. _So brave_. And she was going to die for it. Die because of _him_.

“Friends?” he laughed lightly, “I have never met a human who wanted to be friends with a demon.”

Ana stared up at him confused.

“They are not demons, Samurai Jack is not—”

“Even the Samurai makes mistakes.” He told her in a kind voice.

Aku struggled to get up out of the mud and Nebula shocked him yet again. Blood began to pour freely from his ears.

“An-Nah! G-ghk! GO! R-ah-run!” he managed, though it was strongly muffled by his frozen jaw and bloody mouth.

Ana cried in terror, turning to Nebula.

“Why are you hurting him?! Please stop! Stop it!”

Nebula lifted his hand and Aku fell into the mud, gasping painfully.

“Run, go, go now..” he mumbled.

“Yin!” She cried, and nearly ran to him but Nebula caught her by her shoulder and pulled her back.

“What are you doing?!” She cried in a panic, “Why are you hurting Yin?”

Nebula raised his eyebrows, “Yin?” He laughed softly, “Is that what he told you his name was?”

Ana reached for him reflexively,

“He’s my Freind! He’s-“

“Your friend? This demon?” Nebula asked skeptically, “After what he did to you?”

“He is not a demon!”

Jack once again could not feel his limbs. He fought himself for control but nothing responded, he stood up like he were made of nothing but rubber and fell down again. His body begging him to just lay still.

“He is a liar Ana!” Aku called to her to in a panic, spitting blood on the ground, “do not list—”he tried but Nebula shocked him once more and he caved back into the mud.

“STOP IT!” Ana shrieked, tears streaming down her terrified face.

Nebula stepped forward, peering skeptically down at Aku, “You forgot your mention your _true_ identity while taking advantage of her kindness? How typical of you, _Aku_ ,”

Aku fell back onto the ground, cursing the moment Nebula had been created.

Ana balked, “What are you talking about?!” She screamed, “Yin is traveling with Samurai Jack! He _can’t be Aku_!”

Nebula shook his head, the wave rippling in slow motion through his red hair.

“He has the Samurai fooled, Ana,” Nebula said, squinting at Jack, “The Samurai has fallen for his lies once again, haha,” He said, giving Jack a pitiful smile as Jack bared his teeth, “He thinks Aku has _changed_. He actually believes that a _demon_ can be saved...” he stifled the laugh.

“No!” Ana yelled, “No! It isn’t possible!”

“Would you like me to show you?” Nebula asked gently, “I can prove it to you right now,”

“I did not,” Aku groaned. He stared up at her from the mud, bleeding now from the corners of his eyes, “I did not!—Mother—was not, _run_ ,” he mumbled and Ana’s eyes grew wide.

Nebula scoffed, “ _liar_ ,” he cooed, then he raised his fingers and shot Aku with another pulsing red beam. Aku rose off the ground like a marionette and screamed. Ana screamed in fear. Her screams died slowly as Aku’s human features began to blur, blackness spreading through his body, swallowing ‘Yin’ from inside him, in a tangle of black tendrils. His round green eyes sparked into flames and he clawed at the boiling ground with long sharpened claws before Nebula snapped his fingers and Aku, Yin, fell back to his knees. Dazed and back in his human body, gasping in shock.

Jack curled his fingers in slowly, it was the only thing that he could feel. He stood again and tripped as he came forward.

Ana gaped at Aku, her tears stopped but she stood petrified.

Deep inside him somewhere, his magic struggled, pressing out from inside him as if trying to break its way out. His human bones and mortal flesh were a prison and one much too small for the great _seething monster_ that was the real _Aku_. He tasted blood, smelled it, felt it everywhere, but it was filling his mouth, being pushed aside like the contents of a shaken soda can. He spat it out onto the ground, wheezing into lungs that seemed to be melting.

Jack grunted, he could only see Anas leg’s, but he could hear a gargling noise and he _couldn’t_ hear Ana. That combination was very bad.

Aku drew in pained shallow breaths, struggling to stay conscious. Jack was still down and Ana was still here. He had to do _something_ but he was so _weak_.

 ** _Pathetic._** Said his own voice from somewhere far away. Aku growled.

Static was forming at the edges of his vision and he was aware that he was gasping wetly, a sound he had long ago associated with death. Yet, he could feel his magic struggling just beneath the surface of his skin. Diving down again like his core was the center of a storm. His magic had never seemed so out of his control before. He forced his eyes to focus on his hands in the mud, blackened with dirt-but no.. he saw the outline of his human hands and a tangle of blackness rushing through his veins, sewing itself back and forth around...

“You just won’t die, will you?” Nebula asked nonchalantly.

Ana stepped forward gingerly, her mouth still open in a wide grimace, lips quivering and pale, and her eyes bloodshot. Her fingers stopped just before Aku. She could feel the powerful heat and smell the smoke. Just underneath those senses, for the first time, she also sensed a vibration. Not quite like a heartbeat, but a pulse nonetheless.

“Yin...” she whispered in a broken whisper.

He didn’t respond. He was lost somewhere within the tangle of black lines that were coiling just under his skin like millions of tiny snakes.

She hesitated, “Aku?”

His green eyes focused on her sharply and she leaned forward. She struggled not to cry for fear of the painful sounds he was _just barely_ making. She stood up, covering her mouth with her hands. She could see it now. _The fire within him._

She fell back, away from him, catching Nebula on accident as she went. Nebula steadied her with his own clawed fingers.

“You.. you lied to me?!” Ana screamed so high it was difficult to make out the words.

Aku glared at Nebula, unable to form words, barely able to keep himself out of the mud. Nebula smirked down at him sideways.

“N-no!” Jack cried out from behind them, Ana turned to watch him, just barely on his feet, “Do not listen to him, Ana. Nebula is—”

Nebula shot him back into the ground and Ana screamed.

“Aku is trapped in this human form,” Nebula began as if nothing had just happened, You see? Even now he fights to _pretend_ he is weakened,” Nebula told Ana, “But he can use his powers. If he couldn’t, he would be dead already. No mortal can survive such a lightning strike from _me_.”

“A-Ana,” Aku spat out, struggling to resist. It was not his magic at all that was scorching him, it was Nebula’s. His own magic struggled to withstand the onslaught of damage to his human body. He had shifted only for a moment but he could not control it. Only Jack could allow that. Aku sputtered, unable to get enough air to tell her. Run! He screamed in his mind, but no sound besides pained gasps could escape him.

“This is the demon who killed your mother,”

Ana stared, cold hatred growing in her eyes.

Jack lifted his arm over his head, pulling himself through the rocks, his muscles screamed in protest.

Nebula reached down and withdrew Aku’s blade, shaking it off slightly before holding it out in front of Ana. Aku’s eyes grew wide once again.

“Here is your chance, my dear,” Nebula said in a soothing whisper, “Get justice for your poor mother.”

Ana shakily took the knife. She stared at it in confusion. Nebula stepped around her and behind Aku, grasping him by the hair and yanking his head back. Aku grunted, unable to support himself at that angle he felt his scalp almost tearing with the weight.

“Kill him, Ana,” Nebula said gently, “No one will blame you for saving them from their tyrant. Who wouldn’t want to stop him from doing what he did to your mother to someone else?”

Ana grasped the knife with both hands. She met Aku’s gaze. He was watching her almost curiously. Her eyes welled with tears.

“You!” She screamed, “You killed my Mother! _You’re a monster!”_

Aku just stared, watching the tears streaming down her face into her mouth through bared teeth and all the sudden he felt very _tired_.

Maybe he felt sorry for her. He was not sure. All he knew was that he was not angry with her. He wondered how many people wished to be in her position right now. Jack would have wanted to be in her position only a short while ago.

Idly he realized... that he could understand the feeling. All the times he’d watched as Jack got himself into trouble and his only thought was to save him? _This._ This must be how humans felt about each other. If he had been lucky enough to be in Jacks family, to have been his best friend or maybe his… he would hate himself too, for taking Jack away.

He heard the light thud of the knife hit as the mud. He refocused his eyes on Ana. She screamed in a rage before hugging him under the arms to support him. Nebula stepped back in surprise. Aku’s weight fell on her, but she hardly moved.

“Why?!” she demanded, squeezing him in an effort to keep him upright, “Why did you _do_ this to me?!” She screamed into his ear. Aku groaned in relief, the horrible pain coursing through him immediately stopped and he blinked in confusion. “I can’t do it! I can’t do it!” She cried into his ear, kneeling in the mud as she collapsed against him. He just barely did not fall back onto his face.

“Ana...” Aku muttered.

Nebula was sparking at the edges now, baring his sharpened teeth and growling. He stepped back around the two of them, “Pathetic! Pathetic! He kills your only family and you don’t even have the courage to get revenge? Maybe she deserved it then? _She raised a weak daughter!_ ”

Ana clung to Aku, crying into his shoulder, Aku growled as aggressively as he could muster.

“Tired of playing games with you, disappointing martyrs!” He bent his arm out and Aku did his best to pull Ana out of the way, but he could barely feel his arms.

Nebula cried out in pain and Aku looked up at the shivering white outline of Jack, sword dripping with inky red mist. Nebula snarled, crackling around the edges.

“No! No more games!” Nebula screamed but Jack had had enough, he slashed once and then twice into the red demon. Too fast for the demon to dodge before he flew screeching like a banshee into the night sky.

Jack panted, turning slowly to look at his friends. Ana was still sobbing into Aku’s shoulder, he put his arms around her and looked confusedly up at Jack. Jack nodded at him and smiled.

“We... have to get out of here,” Jack panted, limping closer. Ana peered up at him. “He is going to try and find the villagers,”

Aku groaned, and Jack helped him to his feet. Ana followed, hurrying to grab at Jack’s arm before the three of them could hurry in another direction. They paused at the edge of the ravine, looking down at the dark water beneath it. Aku blinked, suddenly smelling salt water, just barely over the blood in his sinuses.

“Wait,” Aku said, his eyes growing wide, “Get away from me,”

“What?” Jack asked,

“Run! Go!” he yelled as he threw them forward, off the side of the ravine. He made to follow. He didn’t make it.

The lightning hit the ground just beside him and he fell sideways back into the dirt, cursing. He was shoved over without his volition and he struggled, feeling clawed hands wrapping around his throat. He kicked and struggled but it was no use, he couldn’t use his real strength. Spots formed in his vision.

Very distantly he heard Jack and Ana. Maybe they were calling to him.

“QUIET!” Nebula screamed, letting go of Aku for a moment to blast the water with a storm of arching red lighting bolts. Aku gasped, struggling to get out of Nebula's hold, but soon his other hand was on Aku’s throat again.

“Your friends are _dead_!” Nebula spat at him.

Aku blacked out for just a second. He could just hear the echo of Jack yelling, but he couldn’t understand the words. Nebula’s hold on him strengthened and yet, suddenly, he didn’t need to breath.

He opened his eyes slowly, and grasped Nebula by the wrists, digging black fingernails into the pale skin. Nebula shrieked in surprise but didn’t let go, even as red smoke misted from the cuts.

“You can’t use your powers!” Shouted Nebula.

Aku still could not speak but he cursed Nebula with every fiber of both his beings: _Come to me fire. Come to me._

**_But can you do it?_ **

**_“SHUT UP!”_** Aku screamed.

Nebulas wrists cracked under the pressure and he jerked away, hissing as he reformed. He shot at Aku with his white lightning. Aku sat up with strength that felt both familiar and completely foreign to him. It was light he’d shed a weight.He felt the fire before he saw it, spinning around the lightning, drawing it into his right palm. He could feel, as he had before, the two forces within him fighting to kill one another, growing in strength like a hurricane. With his left hand, he reached out to Nebula and released the eye of the storm.

He heard the scream of the red demon. He was too tired to feel any satisfaction.

“AKU!” Jack screamed, staring up at the ball of fire exploding into the sky, Nebula had run away again. “AKU!” He yelled out one more time.

Ana was clinging to his back as he swam, spitting water, towards a rock. He thanked the gods that it was not storming here or they would have crashed into _it_ instead of the water.

“What do we do?” Ana moaned, more to herself than to Jack.

Jack didn’t have the energy to respond to that.

The rock was a difficult climb even without his muscles burning and an extra weight on his shoulders but he did not care. He pulled himself up onto the cliffside until he could find roots to climb. It was still dark when he got to the top and helped Ana onto solid ground. She turned around and helped him back onto his feet.

“Where is he? Where is he?” Jack muttered, stumbling back into the forrest, “Aku!” he cried, hearing the panic in his own voice. Ana hurried after him and pointed to spot just a few feet from where they had fallen.

Beneath a haze of lingering smoke was Aku. He was laying on his side, still human and not moving. Jack stumbled over, his muscles giving out as he went. He crawled the last few steps.

“No no no no no,” he mumbled quietly. Jack touched Aku’s face and received a small shock. He jerked in pain but brought his hands back down to his face, tilting his head up gently. “Aku?”

There was no response and Jack began to shake, sliding his hands down to try and feel a pulse. All he felt was cold. Jack began to panic, heaving in breaths painfully.

“Don’t do this to me again!” he screamed. Punching the ground beside him, “please…please,” Jack felt his eyes watering and had nothing dry to wipe it off with. He clenched his teeth.

Ana shivered, covering her face.


	20. Lichtenberg Figures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magic :D

Aku’s eyes opened impossibly wide. He bowed painfully, kicking his legs out, and opening his mouth in a silent snarl. Jack fell back in surprise. For a moment, there was nothing in his eyes but consecutive rings of glowing red around a pitch black pupil. Aku’s spine arched hard, as if he were about to lift off the ground possessed. He hissed and sputtered, clawing the ground and gasping with his open mouth. His skin began to bleed along the scars of electrical wounds, and then, as suddenly as he’d started, he dropped to the ground coughing.

Jack scrambled back to his side, holding him slightly upwards so that he could breath. The green slowly returned to his eyes as he gasped. Aku clawed fearfully at Jack's gi before he finally seemed to catch any breath, sputtering blood as it flowed from his mouth. There was so much blood, it was spreading out over his already soaked gi. He felt Aku pulling on his shoulders and helped him sit up so that he could wrap his arms around Jack’s neck to breath.

“fuck!” he sputtered and Jack let out a broken laugh. He felt the warmth in his eyes running down his cheeks and was too relieved to be embarrassed. He put one arm behind his back to support him and the other arm gently around his waist.

“Aku.” He muttered into his shoulder, “Gods...”

“Girl…” Aku muttered and Jack pulled back to look at him. “Girl?” Aku asked again. Jack gasped in shock, looking over at Ana and back at Aku who was mostly limp save for his clawed grip around Jack.

“Ana is okay,” he said, his eyes watering again,

“Why...” he wheezed, “do you cry then?”

Jack scoffed, and palmed his eyes to try and clear them.

“I... I thought you were _dead_..” he admitted, touching his forehead to Aku’s. Aku continued to wheeze, leaning against Jack in exhaustion.

Ana came closer slowly, eyeing Aku.

“Is… he okay?” she asked meekly,

Jack smiled weakly, “No,” Jack said, “We need help,”

Ana nodded quickly, bracing herself, “I’ll go get it then,” and with that she was gone.

Jack pushed Aku’s hair out of his eyes gently, avoiding the angry red marks covering his face and neck. He was quite sure they covered his whole body but he was too afraid to ask. Right now, he just wanted to help him keep breathing. Aku shivered and Jack pulled his arms out of his gi and pushed it away.

“Did he hurt you?” Aku mumbled,

“No,” Jack said, though he wasn’t really sure, “Do not worry about me,”

Aku laughed darkly, “Yes… that would have saved me… a lot of trouble,”

Jack laughed and then buried his face in Aku’s shoulder, trying to stifle the tears.

“Are you crying again?” he asked incredulously, “That is a lot of emotion for your… ah… whatever we are.”

“You are my friend,” Jack told him sternly, “And no, I am not crying,” he didn’t even need to not lie. He knew Aku knew he was lying.

“Really?” Aku asked him, sounding skeptical, “hmm”

Jack sat up again, sniffing, gaining control of himself again slowly, “You.. you do not have to be, if you do not want to.” he told him, and smiled a little.

Aku smirked, and then shuttered, letting out a horribly wet cough. Jack cupped his face, holding him tightly.

“Samurai,” he mumbled,

“Yes?”

“I… do not feel well,”

Jack blinked rapidly, checking his pulse, it was becoming quite languid. A chill rose up through him that had nothing to do with the water in his clothes.

“Oh,” Jack said stiffly, looking around the ground. There was so much blood, and Aku was still bleeding slowly, through his clothes, streaming from his nose and ears. He was too tired to even try to fight it. He was bleeding out.

“That does not sound good,” Aku whispered, “Jack, I… I do not think I—”

“No, no no no,” Jack said again, beginning to shake, “Ana is bringing help, you can make it.”

“ _Make it?_ ” Aku asked, “What happens if I do not ‘make it’?”

“Nothing,” Jack said, sounding almost angry, “Nothing because you will make it!”

Aku blinked slowly, “ah…I need to tell you things,”

“No!” Jack growled, “No, you need to rest, and get better.”

Aku smiled and Jack grimaced.

“It is flattering,”

“What?”

“That my dying makes you act so childish.”

“You are not going to die!”

Aku just smiled more, humming softly, thoughtfully.

Jack leaned down again, holding him tightly as if he could keep him together, “You are _Aku_ ,”

“Yes?”

“You are strong. You cannot let this kill you, you cannot. Failure is not an option!”

“Jack…”

“What?”

“I need to tell you…”

Jack shivered but Aku glared. Jack bit his lip.

“The beads cannot be used as a portal,” he sighed, “Without… without.. a,”

“Aku?”

“Ch..charge,” he hummed, struggling to focus on Jack, “You must charge them. Probably one or two is enough…”

Jack wiped the blood from Aku lips gently, shaking his head.

“You can find one in a few ways. I… could have done it. If you can capture some of Nebula’s lightening… or…or…”

“Aku,”

“Gather… several… small..”

“Aku I—”

Rustling caught Jack’s attention.

“I am a doctor!” a woman cried, hurrying through the trees with Ana. A few people were with them, but Jack only focused on the woman. She wasted no time kneeling in front of them. She quickly looked over Aku and paled. “Max! Max call for help, we need more supplies!”

Max, an older man in green overalls, took a phone from his pocket and rushed away. The group looked at one another morbidly.

Ana sat beside Jack quietly.

“I am Lia Balder. What is your name?” The doctor asked.

Aku squinted at her, “Yin…I… need water,”

The doctor nodded, she put her hand to his forehead, looked carefully into his eyes and then held up fingers.

“Jimmy,” She said, “Do we have the IV? Good.” She turned back to Aku, “How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Three,” Aku said, his eyelids growing heavy,

“Stay with me, stay with me,” she said gently, “What day is it?”

“Why?”

“Do you know?”

“No... I don’t know,” he mumbled, Jack rocked him forward a little higher so that he wasn’t laying back so far. He blinked blearily, “does that matter?”

“Do you remember what happened to you?”

“Yes,” he growled.

“She just wants to help,” Jack whispered, “Try to stay calm and stay awake,”

“Does anything hurt in particular?” She asked

Aku sighed and coughed again, “my... right hand,”

Jack looked down at where Aku was clenching his fingers into his palm and swallowed hard. There was no blood, but his skin was a ghastly white, like it had been in cold water for days.

“Okay, is that the entry wound for the electrocution?”

Aku groaned, “yes,”

Jack slid his arm further behind his neck to help him hold up his head as he started to fall again.

“Try not to fall asleep,” Jack reminded him

“Hmm,” Aku hummed, “If I sleep will I die?”

The doctor tapped him gently where she could see he was not injured, “Do not go to sleep,”

Jack shivered, swallowing down the mounting terror. Several more people crowded them, one of them taking Aku by the arm, another coaxing Jack to let Aku lay back on the ground. Soon he was hooked up to an IV, propped up on a blanket, and was having his shirt pulled open to reveal the latticework of horrible angry lines. For once, Aku seemed to genuinely hate the attention. He couldn’t rest now that people were touching him and there were lights being flashed around his eyes. He turned his head away and was very surprised to see Ana.

“You are still here?” He whispered in surprise.

She nodded, sliding close enough to touch Jack’s side.

“I thought you _hated_ me, little girl,” he said in an attempt at his normally teasing voice. She leaned her head forward, staring into his eyes, “You gotta stay awake,”

“Maybe,” he groaned, watching the people scurrying around him.

“Should we move him?”

“We would need a helicopter,” the doctor said sadly, “I do not think our hospital can do that.”

The man frowned, eyeing the blood soaked earth around Aku.

“I’m going to go make sure the rest of the supplies are coming,” he said and disappeared back into the woods.

“Are you injured?” The man called Jimmy asked Jack. Jack just shrugged, not taking his eyes off Aku. Jimmy sat down beside Jack and Jack could see from the corner of his vision that he had several bags next to him. He jerked in surprise when a little white machine was placed next to his head.

“It’s just a thermometer,” Ana explained to him, having her own temperature taken.

Jimmy slowly coaxed Jack into following him a few feet away, to give Ana privacy as she changed into a tan gown and so he could change out of his soaked clothing and get treated for his own injuries.

“It’s okay,” Jimmy said, “We won’t move him without tellin’ you, okay?” he promised.

Jack said nothing, he could hardly force himself to blink.

Ana walked back over to him, little bandages around her eyes and one in her now oddly parted hair. She took him by the hand.

Jack watched in silence as they peeled away the layers of burnt and bloody fabric off of Aku. He was just barely aware that Ana was leaning against him, looking away. Aku was so unresponsive, it made Jack feel dizzy. He could just be dizzy from the all that had happened that day. But he didn’t think so. After an agonizingly long time, and yet, no time at all, Aku was wrapped up in bandages and put under a blanket and finally, Jack was allowed closer again.

He sat next to Aku, gently pushing his hair out of his face. Aku glared up at him and then saw who it was and relaxed. Jack wanted to laugh, but he couldn’t.

“Samurai Jack?” the doctor asked quietly, “May I talk to you?”

Jack stood again, totally numb, and followed her a few steps away towards the small group of people who had helped them.

“Your friend Yin has very odd injuries. Nothing appears to be broken, but he has lichtenberg figures and—”

“What?”

“Those lines all over him that look like a horrible jellyfish sting? Those are burst blood vessels just under the skin. He has several third degree burns. His eardrums may have burst and he is suffering from arrhythmia… I have never seen anyone bleed like that from high voltage injuries…”

Jack just stared at her. He didn’t know what to say or to ask.

She frowned, “If he survives the night—”

“What?”

She nodded slowly, “He—”

“He is going to live,” he said angrily.

She just nodded, “I do not know how he has survived this long,” she said gently,

Jack blinked at her.

“He is responsive to verbal and visual cues, but most of the time, electrical injury especially with lightning, involves burst eardrums which causes at least temporary deafness. Since he has lost so much blood, it is a miracle that he is awake. I am afraid to move him. It may worsen the problem..”

He stared.

“We will stay close by, but I suggest you do not leave his side.”

Jack twitched and turned away, hurrying back to Aku. He leaned over him and touched his face gently to let him know he was there.

“How do I help you?” he whispered.

Aku stared up at Jack in amazement. Was he _still_ crying? _For him_? Jack was so blurry he was having a difficult time telling. He really wanted to touch him to find out but he knew one arm had a needle in it and he couldn’t really feel the other one.

“Aku?”

“yeah…” he mumbled.

“Aku, please.” Jack moaned, “How do I help you? If you can get to your powers…”

“Are you scared?” he asked.

“ _Yes_!” Jack hissed, trying to keep himself together.

Aku blinked, “I… Should be able to do _something_ then,” he whispered, “Yet, I cannot.”

Jack groaned softly, sitting back and glaring up at the night sky. The blackness was beginning to shift into a blue grey.

“I think I would be this injured either way,” Aku said thoughtfully. Jack sighed painfully, blinking when he felt Ana’s hand on his shoulder. He looked at her, she was frowning down at Jack sadly, chewing her cheek.

“You look terrible,” Ana told Aku.

Aku smiled.

She knelt beside Jack and put her hand on his forehead, “You’re so fricken’ cold,” she said, grimacing.

“Really? I feel very… warm. I think…”

Ana shook her head.

“The doctors think I am dying too, don’t they?” he asked her, “Jack will not tell me what is happening and neither will they.”

Ana groaned, adjusting herself to sit more comfortably.

“Can’t you heal yourself?” she asked sadly,

“I am surprised you want me to,”

“ _Aku_ ,” she hissed, “I am not… I am not..”

Jack put his hand on her shoulder and she braced herself.

“I want to ask you something, please,”

“You’d better,” Aku said, smirking.

If he was not already so injured Jack would have been sorely tempted to smack him.

“Aku,” she said in quiet and powerful voice, “Did you kill my Mother?”

Jack flinched but Aku just stared back,

“No,”

She hung her head, “I almost wish you had,” she admitted sadly, “at least then I could ask you _why_ ,”

Jack shivered.

“Ana,” he said flatly, “There _is_ no reason,” He took a painful breath in, “And even if there is, no reason will make you feel better.”

She gave him a pained smile, leaning over and putting her forehead lightly against his, “I have to decide to be happy?”

Jack watched them sadly, “Ania would be proud of you. For not seeking revenge.” He told her firmly.

Aku chuckled, “I told you girl, you should be friends with _him_ ,”

“I _am_ friends with him. I am friends with both of you,”

Aku looked shocked for a few seconds before smiling sadly, “hmm, that fool is right, you humans _are_ sentimental,”

“I wish I could help you,” she said sadly, balancing her hand on the ground as she leaned up.

After a long pause Jack looked back at Aku. His eyes were growing less focused and Jack could feel the warmth slowly fading. He shook with pure terror.

“Do not _leave_ , please,” he whispered, shivering harder.

Jack swallowed, closing his eyes for a moment just to catch up with himself, but all it did was give him the sensation that the earth was hot beneath him. At first, he thought it was because of Aku’s blood, but then he opened his eyes and looked. The grass around them was curling and dying in a circle around them and then a small glow caught his eye. The beads on his wrist were gently glowing and so was each finger on Ana’s hand. She cried softly, staring off at the water. Jack stared as the circle grew wider.

Aku’s eyes opened wider and he looked at the beads on Jacks wrist wearily.

“What is that?” He asked in a scratchy voice.

“I... I do not know!”

Ana leaned back and jumped at the sight of her own hand.

“Wh-what?”

Aku jerked and Jack grimaced.

“Aku? Are you in pain?”

The ground beneath Ana’s hand grew hotter and Aku lifted his right hand, squinting as the twisting lines all slowly began to glow a light blue.

“What is happening?” Jack asked frantically.

“What is happening?” The doctor called, racing back over with her friends who all stopped just outside the circle of dead grass.

Aku slowly looked at Ana, raising his eyebrows in surprise. Her green eyes were glowing softly and she still looked panicked. Aku blinked a couple of times and then scoffed in disbelief.

“What is happening!?” Ana screamed out.

“Do not panic,” Aku told her, smiling, “Here,” he held out his now completely blue glowing right hand. She reached out nervously and put her free hand in his. The circle of dead grass shot out a few more feet and the doctor yelped in shock.

Jack gawked.

All the lines were now glowing, reaching all the way up to his amused green eyes. For a moment he tensed, hissing, before letting out a shuttering breath and the glow began to fade.

As it subsided, though the blood was still there, the broken skin began to fuse, almost like he’d gotten his powers back, but he still had the wounds. But now they were just scars, looking a few days old at least. Jack let out a sharp gasp of amazement.

“You are a healer?” the doctor said finally, staring down at Ana,

“What?”

“You… you are a healer,” the doctor said, blinking, “And thank the Gods you are,”

She blinked confusedly a few more times before falling onto Aku’s side. He jerked in pain.

“Ana!?”

“It is okay,” Aku mumbled tiredly, “I do not think she’s ever done that before.”

And with that, he was out as well.


	21. Pick your Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mostly uncomfortable conversations :D

He was resting his eyes, sitting cross legged on the floor of Ana’s basement again. He’d been sleeping on and off all day. Aku had not yet woken back up, but the doctor had told Jack that would probably happen. The sound of menacing chuckles made Jack turn to check on him. Aku was smiling, his eyes hooded, looking like a raccoon who’d just lost a fight. Yet he was laughing.

“What?” Jack asked, looking over his face, “Are you okay?”

“You look absolutely mortified,” he giggled, unable to stop smiling.

“Is that a good thing?” Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

“A year ago it would have been _amazing_ ,”

Jack scoffed, rubbing his face with his hand.

“Has it really been a year? That’s not right, it is quite a few months off,”

The doctor had warned him about this too, that the pain medication would make him act ‘weird’. When he’d asked what that meant, she’d just told him that it, ‘was entirely dependent on the individual’.

Aku just kept smirking, and Jack smiled back despite himself. He was relieved to see him awake.

“It is good to see you acting like yourself,” he admitted, “Menace and all,”

Aku’s smile softened at the edges.

“Is it?” He asked skeptically. “What time is it?”

Jack looked like over at the dark window and then the clock Ana had put on the dresser. “It is 11 PM,”

Aku relaxed into his pillow, returning to sly smirks, “Jaaack,” he cooed teasingly, “Did you really stay here all night?”

Jack glared, his ears turning red, “I am usually with you all night. Did you expect me to abandon you?”

Aku sighed, but the smirk never faltered, “I don’t think I was thinking at all, I don’t even remember dreaming.”

Jack reached out and wrapped a hand around his wrist. Aku hummed happily.

“Aku? Do you need water? Or ... anything?”

Aku gave Jack another devilish smile, flashing his teeth and laughing wickedly.

“What is so funny??” Jack asked completely bewildered.

“I don’t know, did they put me on pain medication?” Aku asked, struggling not to laugh.

Jack blinked, “Yes,” he laughed, “Why? Do you feel off?”

Aku rolled his eyes, still chuckling at nothing. Jack laughed back softly.

“I may be high, it is hard to tell through the haze. But yes, water...”

Jack quickly brought him cold water and watched him down it much too quickly. He sighed.

“Are you still in a lot of pain?” Jack whispered, sitting down on the edge of the bed and putting his hand over Aku’s wrist again, only this time he missed and his hand landed over Aku’s palm. Aku hissed in surprise and Jack froze.

“Maybe,” Aku said cryptically. Jack moved his hand away and Aku reached over with his left hand, clawing at Jacks fingers until he spread them enough for Aku to loosely weave them together. “Yes, everything hurts. Ah, especially my right hand,”

Jack nodded, “It looked very painful. They would not allow me to watch them bandage you again when we got to the house.”

Aku laughed again, “You tried to watch?”

Jack sighed sadly, “I... After you fell asleep again the doctors told me that you may have a concussion, among other things. I was ...”

“Scared?” Aku asked, smirking.

“Why is that so funny?” Jack asked, looking baffled, “Just because of the pain medication ?”

Aku squeezed his hand, “Maybe. No. It is flattering,” he said, his eyes sparkling wickedly. Jack swallowed.

“Just that? Just staying is flattering?”

Aku sighed, “You probably would have done that for anyone, would you not?”

Jack closed his eyes, squeezing Aku’s hand back, “Of course I would. But I do not know if I would have been.. so afraid. Is that what you see as a compliment?”

Aku blearily winked at him and Jack balked and shook his head.

“Well you are welcome, I think?” He said shaking his head, “Though it doesn’t seem like much of a compliment to me,”

Aku scoffed, “What is a good compliment to you then?”

“You want me to give you compliments?” Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

Aku pretended to pout.

Jack laughed again, “You _must_ be high,”

“Jaaack,” Aku whined at him.

He sighed, pretending to be annoyed, “Fine... let me think of one,”

Aku’s eyes were absolutely sparkling with mischief and it gave Jack the inspiration for the first one.

“You have very beautiful eyes,” he said.

Aku raised his eyebrows, winded and then stared at Jack, “My _eyes_?”

Jack chuckled, “Yes? Why? Do you not believe me?”

“Honestly, I do not remember what they look like right now,” he admitted and Jack laughed again.

“Your eyes always have some hint of you in them, no matter what form you’re in. Also, I very much like their color. Green eyes suit you.”

“They aren’t usually green though, are they?”

Jack smiled, “I don’t think so?”

Aku made a strange noise, and Jack was pretty sure he meant that he was thinking. But it was difficult not to laugh because it was so odd. It was very much a noise only _he_ would think to make.

“If neither of us know what I look like, do I look like anything?” Aku asked the ceiling.

Jack snickered, covering his mouth, “Have you ever been on this pain medication before?”

“Nnnnooo,” he said slowly, smiling, “I don’t think it would work on my ... self..”

Jack shook his head, “You do remember what you look like, don’t you?”

Aku hummed noncommittally.

“You had statues of yourself out everywhere on the planet and you can not remember what you look like?”

Aku smiled, “I remember,” he said, sounding unbelievably unconvinced by his own lie. Jack snorted.

“You are ... tall!” Jack said, “do you remember that?”

Aku raised his eyebrows, “‘Tall’ is not a good description of an assailant,”

“Assailant? Wha?? Okay...” Jack shook his head, “You have big eyes, and” he motioned to Aku’s face, “Flaming eyebrows?”

Aku still seemed unconvinced.

“A green face and black form? With six horns on your head,”

Aku squinted skeptically.

Jack laughed, “You are doing this purposefully aren’t you?”

Aku smiled, “Maybe.”

“Mmhm,” Jack hummed tolerantly, shaking his head.

“You have very dark eyes, Samurai Jack,”

Jack nodded, “Yes, I have not forgotten.”

Aku pulled his hand away and stretched out to touch Jacks face, “Your hair is soft,”

Jack blushed, “Oh.. Ah, thank you,”

Aku, “You have no idea how attractive you are,” he told Jack,

Jack blinked, “Uh...”

“It is funny to me how many people stare at you and you take absolutely _no_ notice,”

“Wha- no, What do you mean?”

Aku’s eyes were bleary but he still smirked, confidently telling him, “You don’t notice all the eyes on you because you only feel the ones out to do you harm. But most people would rather share bed with you than hurt you,”

“Aku?!” Jack blinked, unsure of what to say to that, “No, no... why would you think that?”

“I see them watching,” he muttered more quietly, “Do you feel my eyes on you?”

Jack blushed furiously, “Wh-what?”

Aku smiled softly, running his fingers down the side of Jack’s gi, “You are _perfect_ ,” he muttered and his hand went limp.

After a long pause he realized Aku was asleep again and he got up to wash his face with ice cold water. Nervously, he peered at his reflection in the mirror. Besides being embarrassed by his own embarrassment, all he was was… Himself. His hair was a mess, after being washed and not yet pinned back. He had several bruises and cuts, and just under the scarf he was wearing again he knew he still had _many_ bite marks. Had that really only been a day ago? Two days ago? It felt like ten years.

Jack came back into the room and checked to make sure Aku was asleep before going up the stairs. Ana was sleeping on the couch, covered in blankets, with her computer still on the table in front of her. He smiled as he passed, heading into the kitchen to make tea.

At the table with his cup he sat, resting his head on his hand. Honestly, as tempting as it had been to just go to the hospital, he was glad that he hadn’t. He felt almost safe here, in this familiar place, with two friends.

Yesterday, as Jack helped the doctor and her friends gather themselves together, they had offered to take him there. He’d said no. They had also offered to help Jack take them to Ana’s house. The IV was out, and Aku was still wrapped in white sheets like a corpse.

Jack had shaken his head.

“Buddy, you aren’t even wearing shoes, let us help you,”

“I will do it!” he’d cried, glowering.

Max backed off, looking far too sympathetic.

Jack sighed painfully, but walked on, selfishly desperate to hear the gentle beating of Aku’s heart through his skin. To know he was alive. His eyes had flashed repeatedly back to Ana as well, as they walked through the forrest in a tense silence. His muscles were screaming, but he didn’t care. He barely felt relief when the house finally came into view, hours later. Ana had awoken by that time and she let everyone inside.

Jack automatically took Aku down the steps, the doctor and Max hurried after him, opening the doors and then telling Jack that he needed to be re bandaged before he could lay him in the bed. Max finally convinced Jack to let him take Aku, but the furthest he was willing to be away from him was at the door frame of the bathroom, while they undid and redid his bandages. All that time, all that jostling, and Aku did not wake up.

Ana came down the steps, her arms full of water bottles. She handed one to Jack and set the rest on the dresser.

“How are you feeling?” He asked Ana in a soft whisper,

“I dunno. Pretty bad I guess.” She admitted, hugging his arm. Her eyes lingering on Aku.

Jack nodded knowingly, “It is okay to not feel good all the time.”

“Yin, ah, I mean…told me that I have to _decide_ to be happy,”

Jack blinked, “When did that happen?”

“A few days ago. I came to talk to him, thats when I brought you guys cookies, remember?”

“Oh... yes,”

“I guess now I’m kinda surprised he didn’t just tell me to get over it,”

Jack held back a laugh, “Yes, I admit, that is surprising,”

“He also said I should be friends with you and not him because he’s not nice and you are,”

Jack couldn’t hold back the chuckle at that.

Max and the doctor finished what they were doing and laid Aku in the bed where Ana instructed. They set up another IV, this time putting the medication in. It was only there for a couple hours before they left, insisting on returning the next day or earlier if need be. He knew they really wanted him to go to the hospital. But he just could not bring himself to be so reasonable.

Ana didn’t seem to mind. She brought more blankets for him.

“He might get cold, it’s been pretty cold,” she said anxiously and Jack smiled.

“Aku seems uncharacteristically fond of you,” he told her and smiled,

“You think so?” She asked, “I kinda just thought that, Uhm, I kinda thought maybe he just was happy that I’m not scared of him. That must be really... lonely.” She shrugged, “I dunno though, maybe he just didn’t want you to get mad at him for killing me and burying me in the garden somewhere,”

“Ana!” Jack whisper-yelled, “That is ... terrible,”

She smiled and shrugged, “sorry,”

Jack sighed, “I suppose…I could see how you might think that,” he admitted morbidly,

Ana scoffed.

“What?”

“I know he wouldn’t.”

Jack blinked, “Then why would you say—“

“I dunno,” she said sadly, looking at them, “I just miss my Mom.”

Jack nodded, “I understand,”

After a few moments though, curiosity took over him, and he spilled all he was thinking. “Why do you not think it is true? I understand you said what you said because you do not feel happy. But I often wonder myself what he is going to do when this is all over. Has he learned anything? If he has learned, does he intend to better himself? Or... well. It is difficult for me to imagine him doing anything but betraying me afterwards,”

Ana looked up at him sideways, “I guess, like... it’s possible. But I don’t think so. Isn’t he... you know.. into you?”

Jack blinked, “Into me?” He repeated confused.

“Yeah,” she said smiling amusedly, “Like he _likes_ you,”

“I would like to believe we are friends, but that is related to my first question,”

She shook her head snickering, “No, no that’s not what I mean,”

Jack tilted his head.

“I know you guys both think I’m like 7... I know I’m short and all, but I’m 12.”

Jack continued to look bewildered, “Oh, I am sorry if I offended-“

She shook her head again, “I know what a hickey is,” she whispered, her eyebrows high on her face.

Jack gasped like he’d been slapped, “No! No it was... I..”

She rolled her eyes, “You guys sleep in the same bed, the other day I _saw_ you holding hands, I’m not _stupid_ ,”

“I-I, ah, I’m sorry... I did not mean for you to see ...”

She shrugged, “Its fine, it.. it’s just weird. Samurai Jack and Aku, _together_ ,”

Jacks face burned, “I am sorry,”

She snickered, “Sorry you got caught? It’s fine, I don’t mind people being together,” she shrugged and then gave him a curious look, “Are you into _him_ though? Uhm, I mean, do you wanna stay with him?”

Jack just mumbled, unable to properly respond.

“That... would be nice,” He whispered.

She beamed and he blinked in surprise.

“I don’t think he’s going to turn around and attack you anymore, not after yesterday. You should have seen him, running back into the village looking for you. It was really cute actually,” she made a noise like a speeding car and motioned like she was flying. 

Jack blushed again, sharply reminded of Aku’s reaction to him being kidnapped.

“Plus you know, he almost died because he thought Nebula was going to kill you.”

Jack peered at her,

“What do you mean? He was after us the whole time,”

She shook her head thoughtfully, kicking through another pile of leaves, “Yeah maybe,” she said quietly, “He could have stayed hidden, or run away, but he didn’t. It was scary Jack,” she said, looking at him seriously, “The way he walked out, with a... a look on his face like he...like he... I dunno how to explain it.”

Jack knew exactly what she was trying to say, though he couldn’t really put words to it either. The closest thought to him was _fire_. Even trapped in a human body with no powers to speak of, the force of his voice, the confidence in his gesture, the air of menace that he could put on like a normal man would put on a jacket. Even when he was afraid or angry.

“Like he knew he was going to win no matter what,” she said after a pause.

Jack nodded.“Yes,”

_Failure is not an option_. Said Aku’s growling voice in Jack’s mind and he smiled a little.

“He just walked out and talked to that _monster_ like they were arguing about sports at a bar,” she shook her head, “I knew when he first called him by his real name... I didn’t want to understand. But I can see it now.”

“It is hard for me to understand how other people do not see it,” Jack said,

“That makes sense,” she agreed, “I never met him as a demon, I just saw... but that wasn’t him.”

“He is much the same as you know him” Jack told her with a small smile, “Arrogant and stubborn,”

She’d giggled.

His tea was cool enough to drink now, so he took a sip, closing his eyes to enjoy the peaceful familiarity.

He heard Ana shifting and smiled when she walked into the kitchen.

“Hey, can I talk to you?”

Jack smiled and nodded. She sat across from him as he stared at his tea cup. She nervously fiddled with her scarf.

“What did you want to ask me about?”

She grimaced and put both her hands on the table, leaning forward, “I... I wanted to ask you about Aku.”

Jack paled a little, but nodded, “You... want to know why we are traveling together?”

“That’s part of it,” she said, scratching herface, “Why is he pretending to be a human called ‘Yin?’,”

Jack leaned back in his chair, “Because... it is... He saved my life,”

She furrowed her brow and frowned.

“Nebula attacked me and I barely escaped with my life. I was seriously burned. I had bones broken, and I was getting sick. I was alone in the jungle,” Jack stared out the window, his brown eyes wide, “He found me out there and healed most of my injuries. I did not know who he was at first, or I would not have let him that close to me.”

She gasped, “He.. _he_ can heal people?”

Jack hummed, “He must. He did it for me. I found him later to ask him why, and Nebula was there as well. Aku was trapped in that form after that.”

Her face scrunched as she took all this in, confusedly weighing it all with information she already had.

“But... did he answer the question ?”

Jack looked back at the table, “No, not exactly,”

“And-and-and his powers! He used them on Nebula when—“

Jack held up a hand to calm her, “Yes. I know,”

She gaped.

“He has only been able to use them in a limited capacity and only when he is being threatened. He cannot shape shift, or use most of his powers besides fire,”

“So he could not have … but what I saw…”

Jack frowned sympathetically, “I have the video... but... I do not believe it was Aku. I think it was Nebula.”

A tear rolled down her cheek and she covered her face. Jack put his hand on her am reassuringly.

“I am sorry,” he said, tilting his head down, thinking of Ania as he stared at the string of beads still around his wrist. Ana wiped her face on her sleeve and looked up at him.

“It is... amazing, what an influence you have had on him, ah, Jack,”

Jack frowned, “Maybe,”

She smiled, struggling with the tears as she gave him an odd look.

“He must really love you if he did all that.”

Jack turned sheet white and she raised her eyebrows, wiping her eyes on her sleeve again.

“What?”

“I... I do not think... uhm, He is still Aku. I merely wish to help him and everyone else see to Nebulas defeat.”

She stared, the morose expression taking over her face even as she studied his. He could only sympathize with her. He’d only met her mother once and liked her a lot then, losing her as a mother was an unspeakable loss.

“I.. I know you two think nobody notices..”

Jack looked confused, she smiled a little, though it did not reach her eyes.

“But he’s _very_ obvious,”

“What do you mean?”

“He follows you everywhere, the way he _looks_ at you, I mean,…”

Jacks eyes bugged and his face burned. She laughed a little.

“The only reason I care, I mean, besides that I like you and everything, is because all my life I _hated_ Aku. My friends and family hate Aku, he’s a horrible... dictator... A killer! But this can’t all be true if you love him,”

Jack just gaped, blinking rapidly, “It is not so...uh, uh, it is complicated. More complicated than that,”

She nodded, “Okay,”

“I am sorry that I lied to you about who he was. I could not just leave him.”

She smiled curiously, “Because he saved you?”

Jack nodded slowly, “Yes... He has saved me three or four times now.” He smiled softly, “But it is not just that. I want...”

He struggled, thinking about these things was much more difficult than saying them out loud. Words could become tangible, real, and he feared his own thoughts. Ana waited patiently.

“I want to help him. I think, perhaps, he could be a leader if he had... some guidance.”

“Lots of guidance.” She said, and smiled a little, “You know, everything people say about you is true.”

He blinked.

“My Mom,” she said, her voice breaking as she stumbled over the word, “She said that you were the _best_ kind of person. That you were a warrior who looks for reasons _not_ to fight. You’re the kind of person who would make a demon into a good man. If you could,”

Jack sighed, looking away, “That is very kind of you.”

“I like you better in person though,”

Jack blinked.

“I can see when stuff makes you uncomfortable. Like, you don’t know everything but you try to always be doing good things. It’s nice to know that you can be a good person even if you mess up. Not that you mess up, I mean, I do.”

“I make mistakes as anyone does,” He said smiling, “Thank you, Ana” he said softly, “You are very kind to me,”

She beamed at him, “You deserve it.”

“So do you,”

“Thanks,” she said, smiling.

Jack took another moment to compose himself at the top of the steps. Fixing his hair, tightening his belt. Not that it really made any difference since he was not going anywhere for a while, but he still felt nervous. He hurried down the steps and opened the door. He sighed when he saw that Aku was still fast asleep.

It went just about like that for the next few days. Aku rarely woke up or moved. It worried Jack that he wasn’t eating so Ana went and got vitamins to put in his water, along with soup and other drinks he’d never seen or heard of. Aku had to be constantly reminded to keep drinking or he’d fall asleep again. Ana turned it into a sort of game, seeing how long she could keep him focused and reported back to Jack if he wasn’t already there to witness it.

He went on several very long walks, one of which lead him back into the still-flooded square. Sitting on the ledge, he frowned at the amount of damage that had been done. Many people, he was quite sure, were struggling to find work or somewhere to do work. Unconsciously, he fiddled with the beads on his wrist, he thought he was used to being alone. It was surprising how quickly he’d become completely adjusted to _never_ being alone. Maybe. He did prefer it.

He wondered for the hundredth time that week, what he was going to do if Nebula showed up again? He was not sure how badly he’d been injured by Aku. What if he came back before he got better? They had not had a plan _before_ this, and now he had to wait for Aku to be healthy enough to try to figure something out again. His patience was quickly waning in the silence between helping Ana do housework, play games, or walk to a much further market to buy… whatever she was buying. Besides food, he found it difficult to pay attention.

The following weekend brought another shopping day. Jack was starting to wonder if Ana just wanted an excuse to walk somewhere with him. He would have been happy to walk with her to nowhere, but this was fine too.

“It’s October you know,” Ana said, hopping around on the sidewalk.

“Oh, yes, I thought so,” he said, looking at the beautiful orange trees.

“Does he like Halloween?”

“Hmm?”

Ana ran over to him and grabbed hold of his arm.

“Aku! Does Aku like Halloween??”

Jack smiled, “I cannot say we’ve ever discussed it! Which one is Halloween?” He asked blinking, he knew it was a western holiday. Involving pumpkins? Or turkey? He couldn’t remember.

She laughed, “Halloweeeeen! Is my favorite and I bet you it’s Aku’s too!”

“Why is that?”

“Because, it is a holiday about being _scary_!”

Jack laughed, “really?”

“Yes! So people, mostly kids, but, um, anybody can make a costume, dress up as all kinds of things and go trick or treating! Which means they come up to your house and go _TRICK OR TREAT_!”

Jack smiled, “Why?”

“So you’ll give them candy.” She said knowledgeably.

“I see. What is so scary about that?”

“A long time ago, it used to be about dressing up to scare away evil spirits,”

Jack snorted, “Aku _is_ an evil spirit,”

She burst into laughter, “Exactly! It is a a holiday all about _him_. Not _really_. But I bet he still likes it. We can make the house look spooky and get pumpkins to carve into stuff. My mom was _really_ good at it,”

“That makes sense, she was a very gifted artist,” he looked at the beads on his arm.

She smiled at them, “Yeah!”

Jack could almost feel her giddy enthusiasm and it was joyous to hear her laughter.

“She made, like, faces. Not like the normal ones, I’ll show you later, but the normal ones are just like triangle eyes with a mouth. She made hers look like _real_ people. Pumpkin people,”

Jack nodded, “Pumpkins are heavy, aren’t they?”

“Yep!” She smiled

“Well, I guess we had better figure it all out. We must get everything in order for you and Aku,”

She leapt into the air like a spring and ran laughing down the road. He couldn’t help but smile wide. He was wearing a scarf again, and today he was very happy he had because it was getting rather cold. Ana lead him into a shop and instructed him to get very specific tea. He did not argue, and the warm spicy drink made him feel very comfortable. She pointed out all the Halloween related things and explained them in detail to him as they went along. As they were putting some food in a basket she suddenly cried:

“THIS one!”

Jack blinked and looked at the little orange gourd she was point at, high on a shelf of many.

“This one what?”

“We will bring _this_ pumpkin to Aku, and he will feel better.”

He laughed and nodded, handing it to her. His mood continued to lift even as storm clouds rolled in and the sky became hazy and grey. Her effort were working on him for sure, he felt warm and happy to be outside, seeing the blazing colors of all the plants. Ana crunched every leaf she could get underfoot, sang a song that he had never heard about ‘pumpkin patches’ and then cried out in excitement the moment the house came back into view.

He watched in amazement as she ran, heavy bags and all, back to the house. Jack heard her laughing as he closed the door behind him, locking it just to be sure. Ana was rocking on her heels next to the basement door and hurried down the steps as soon as he’d caught up with her.

“Aku, Aku!” Ana cried, knocking on the door, “Can I come in?”

Jack smiled at the groggy sound Aku made before saying irritably:

“Only if you’ll be quieter when you come in here,”

She giggled and opened the door, toning down her voice as she rushed to his side. I got you a present!” She whispered excitedly.

Jack tilted his head as she set the small orange pumpkin right beside him. Aku looked confused for a moment before sitting up straighter and patting her hair.

“Thank you,” he mumbled roughly,

“You need some more tea, huh?” She asked,

He smiled and nodded, picking up the pumpkin and inspecting it.

“I got you some new tea also, it has fall spice in it!” She disappeared in an energetic flash.

Jack walked into the room and smiled at Aku. Aku looked bleary still, but he smiled back.

“How are you feeling?” Jack whispered,

Aku breathed shakily, “Great, I have a pumpkin, did you not see?”

Jack snorted, “Ana thinks that ‘Halloween’ might make you feel better,”

“Halloween?”

“Yes, she said it’s about—”

“I know what Halloween is,” he said, sounding scandalized.

“Is it your favorite?”

Aku gave him a withering look.

Jack beamed, “She will be thrilled to learn that her prediction was correct and that you two have the same favorite holiday.”

“Is it really already time for Halloween?”

Jack nodded, “According to Ana,”

“How long have I been asleep?”

“You’ve been in and out all week,”

“Week?!” He exclaimed and then coughed, Jack got a water bottle for him and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Yes, do you not remember?”

Aku drank the water slowly, grimacing each time he swallowed.

“Actually...” he said, clearing his throat, “I do not remember coming back to the house,”

Jack balked and then shook his head, “Ah, that is understandable. It is odd though, I talked to you a few times.”

“We talked?” he asked, confused, “What day is it?”

“Saturday,”

“When did we speak?”

“Mostly on Tuesday, but think you were very inebriated,”

Aku blinked, “I just have been. I do not remember _anything_ ,”

Jack sighed and Aku yawned.

“Did what I said to you even make sense?” He asked in a painfully polite voice, Jack thought on it for a moment.

“You mean to ask if you told me something you do not actually wish for me to know?”

Aku smiled, “Perhaps,”

“I... do not think so.” he said, smirking.

He peered skeptically at Jack before Ana came back into the room, carrying a heavy trey. Jack turned and grabbed it, helping her set it down.

“What is all this?” Jack asked her grinning,

“Yeah!” She said excitedly and Jack blinked in confusion, “Aku, you must be really tired of soup by now,”

“What?”

“You haven’t really been eating for days,”

“I was eating?” He blinked

“He does not remember,” Jack explained.

“Oh man,” she said, shaking her head, “Well, are you hungry?”

Jack looked at Aku curiously.

“Oh I almost forgot,” she cut him off, bringing him the tea. Aku put the water bottle down and breathed in the steam with relief.

Ana tilted her head, “Do you want to sit with us and have something real to eat? If not, we can hang out with you,”

Aku raised his eyebrows at her. Jack smiled. Aku nodded after a moment, shifting himself to the side and Ana took the tea back so he could stand up. Jack jumped forward the moment his feet hit the floor, Aku’s eyes went wide and all the color drained from his face. He fell into Jack, gasping.

“I have you, I have you,” Jack whispered, slowly setting him down on the floor,

Ana was pale, “I am so sorry,” she said in a high voice. Aku waved them both off.

“Ah... forgot,” he mumbled shakily. Ana sat down in front of him, offering the tea again. He took it, breathing slowly.

“Forgot?” Jack asked softly, crossing his legs beside Aku, ready to stop him from face planting into the hard wood floor if need be.

“This is _really_ good,” he told Ana smiling, “Should have known you would have good taste, little queen,”

Ana and Jack exchanged confused glances but Aku continued.

“Ah, the exit wounds, from the... lightening went through my feet,”

Ana gasped in sympathy. Jack glanced down at the black socks he was wearing, he had so many burns at this point that Jack was not sure which ones to worry about most. At least now he knew.

“I do not think I can eat much, but I am hungry,” he admitted, continuing to drink the tea.

Jack watched Aku fondly, silently happy to hear him talking, to see him really awake. He caught Ana eyeing him amusedly and blushed, grimacing.

“Okay, I am goanna go make something really easy on your stomach. It might take me a little while,” she said, smirking to herself as she got up, “Happy October, I am so happy that you like the tea,” she said and closed the door. Jack sighed and swallowed, but the moment she had gone the urge to comfort him became almost unbearable.

“Aku,” Jack said softly, pushing his hair out of his eyes, “Tell me what hurts the most?”

Aku blinked, seeming surprised by the sudden closeness Jack had with him, “I have no idea,” he said flatly and Jack could tell by the frustrated frown that he was not lying.

“Can I do anything?”

“I do not need you to take care of me, Samurai,” he said amusedly.

Jack blanched and Aku’s smile fell.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he whispered.

Jack jumped slightly when he felt cold fingers touching his face.

“Liar,” Aku whispered,

“Ah…It has been so quiet,” he admitted, swallowing down the swell of emotions, “It really is nothing. I have missed your... you. I have missed you.”

Aku blinked, “Really?”

Jack laughed lightly, “Yes,”

“I do remember that you said we were friends while I was laying there dying,” he said teasingly and Jack glared. But there was no heat behind it.

“I admit i was very afraid…” Jack sat up straight, “Can we have a serious conversation?”

Aku blinked, “Sure?”

“If you are too tired I—”

“What is it?” Aku asked.

“To me, friends are… If we are friends it means that Ican turn my back to you and never worry about a knife between my ribs. In fact, knowing that you would not take advantage of vulnerabilities would make me feel safer. Exposing vulnerabilities to one another is how humans bond. Trust is important.”

Aku stared, and Jack was not sure, but it seemed to him that Aku’s face had gone slightly red. It was hard to tell in the dark.

“Uhm,” he mumbled, taking another sip of the tea, “Are you asking me to expose all my supernatural vulnerabilities to you?”

Jack laughed lightly, “No,”

Aku felt vulnerable now. He wasn’t sure if that counted for something or not.

Jack watched Aku looking over his face and hoped he didn’t look as wound up as he felt. He felt like he was ready to spring into something crazy. Maybe he was.

“That day, after you were injured, do you remember everything?”

Aku blinked, “Everything? When I woke up you punched the ground and asked me not to die,”

Jack blushed and covered his face with his hand, “Yes, but that is not what I am referring to.”

“To what are you referring?”

Jack smiled and looked carefully at Aku’s expression again, ready to gage the reaction.

“I was terrified in the moment. B-but I need you to know that I _meant_ what I said.”

Aku’s face grew pale and his mouth parted. Once again, he looked in pain, but this time Jack understood.

Aku turned his head away quickly, and Jack caught just a quick flash of that life in his eyes.

“That is not a question,”

“I know,” Jack said softly, “I want to ask if you want to be _my_ friend,”

Aku laughed in a bitter sort of way and Jack tilted his head.

“You do not want to be friends or you do not believe me?”

Aku shrugged, running his uninjured hand over his face, Jack could see even his lips had paled.

“That went faster than I thought it would,” Ana announced through the door, Jack backed off immediately. Aku squinted.

Dinner was mostly quiet, since Jack and Ana were both very hungry and Aku was exhausted again. He was nearly asleep by the time the other two were finished. Ana keenly sensed the awkwardness in the room and ate rather quickly.

“Well, I got pumpkins to stab and spider webs to stick in the window,” Ana said, smiling.

“Okay,” Jack said confused.

“Yes, _spiderwebs,_ ” Aku agreed sleepily. Jack chuckled.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow,”

Jack smiled at her as she left but then stood, walking over to the door and listening to her footsteps reach the first floor before locking the door.

“Ah… we are returning to the uncomfortable conversation I take it?” Aku groaned.

Jack turned and again sat beside beside Aku.

“We… we do not have to do that.” Jack said a little disheartened, “I did want to… thank you though.”

Aku gave him a strange look.

“Thank you for saving me, _again_ , and for saving Ana,”

Aku laughed awkwardly, “right, okay... well...”

“I mean it,”

Aku wrapped his arms around Jacks shoulders, resting his for head against his.

“I think...” Aku said in a stern voice, “you still have many reasons to _hate_ me,”

Jack backed away, eyes wide and confused, “Where did that come from? W-why? Did you do something?”

Aku let out a pained laughed, “No…”

Jack waited.

“Not recently.”

He waited a little longer.

“I had… a nightmare,” he finally admitted, looking into Jack’s eyes, “Or I should say nightmare _s_ since…”

“Since Nebula?” Jack asked quietly and Aku nodded once, “What… what sort of nightmares?”

Aku sighed unhappily, “When you look at me, what do you see?”

Jack tilted his head, “I see you?”

Aku smiled sadly, “ _Which_ me?”

Oh. _Oh._

_“_ Aku, I know who you are,”

“Do you?” He asked with sudden sharpness, looking incredulous, “I am... since we are being ‘honest’, I am afraid that you do not _remember_ who I am,”

Jack balked.

Aku groaned, “What are you going to do when I am a demon again?” He asked, looking grave.

“I... I do not have an answer,”

Aku nodded, reaching over and taking Jack’s wrist so that they could both see the beads.

“You see, I cannot _allow_ you to kill me,”

Jack tensed. Aku noticed.

“ _Are_ you going to kill me, Jack?”

“We have had.. this conversation before,”

“Yes,” he said tersely, “and you said you did not _want_ to kill me. I remember,” he tilted his head skeptically, “You wouldn’t kill me like this,” he nodded to himself, “Because you do not see me as a threat anymore. You call me by my name... but do you really see me as myself?”

“Why are you asking this?”

“You do not want to know what is going to happen?”

“Why is this important right now?”

“ _Because I cannot stop thinking about it_!” He shouted, tensing as he breathed through the wave of pain to his muscles. Jack came forward, pausing when Aku put his hand up.

“I know who you are, Aku,” he said, “I remember,”

Aku squinted at him, “Then answer me this, Jack!” he hissed, “Are you going to kill me after this is all over? Is this a _phase_? Asking me to be your _friend_? What happens after??”

Jack froze in surprise he chewed his lip.

“I do not know what happens after,” he whispered, “That depends on you,”

“Really?” Aku said darkly, eyeing him, “What exactly does that entail? What are you asking in return, Samurai Jack?”

Jack blinked in shock, “I.. I do not understand. In return for what?”

Aku grasped Jack by the back of his head with both hands, yanking him forward, kissing him hard. Jack froze.

Jack froze.

“ _Kiss me back_ ,” Aku commanded, sounding a little annoyed. Jack shivered, still baffled. But he ran his fingers very delicately through Aku’s hair anyway, and kissed him, softly, he tasted like the spice from the tea. Jack knew he would _never_ get that association out of his head. He really did like that tea. He pushed himself forward, a little less softly. Aku shivered slightly and Jack moved his hand to Aku shoulder, jumping when Aku winced. Aku growled, and Jack tensed again, watching his eyes glow, it was easy to picture the fire they normally wore and for a moment he did not know where he was.

“In return for _you_.” Aku said quietly.

“What?” Jack asked breathlessly,

“‘Friends’ is not enough,” Aku told him, fiercely staring him down. Jack was instantly winded.

It took a moment to process the words and he felt heat rising up through his face. He laughed nervously. Aku just glared up at him, as if the anger might get across his actual feelings. Even as he struggled to respond, Jack couldn’t look away from his green eyes seeming to glow with a life he’d never been able to see before. Focused so surely on him. No… They did not look like they were glowing. They _were_ glowing. He covered his mouth with his hand, feeling himself light up all the way to his forehead. Aku raised his eyebrows.

“I do not know what you are doing, besides being embarrassed,” Aku said irritably.

Jack closed his eyes and swallowed, feeling his lips twitching, he tried not to smile.

“What is—”

“Friends is a good start,” Jack said finally, putting his hand down on the floor to balance them both.

Aku perked up a little, resting his head against Jack who couldn’t bare to look at him anymore.

“A good start to what?”

“More,” he said vaguely, struggling not to hide.

“Does- do- you,” Aku stuttered in frustration. He cupped Jack's face and made him look into his eyes again, “Jack,”

Jack smiled weakly, “Being friends is a good start,” he said again.

Akus eyes were so wide, and then he slowly settled into a more calm expression, running his thumb over Jack's lips before dropping his hand. He backed away again, looking at Jack as if he would explode.

“What about your mission?”

Jack felt the chill running down his spine.

“There it is,” Aku said softly, nervously.

“What?”

“That face!” He pulled himself up onto his feet, his lips turning white with the pain. Jack jumped up to stop him but Aku just grabbed him by the arm, swinging him around and pushing him front of the bathroom to face the mirror.

“See yourself! _Samurai_!” He growled,

Jack blinked and looked at his face. It was only there for a moment, as soon as he saw it, it disappeared like a ghost. He gasped in surprise and grit his teeth, turning away, back towards him.

“I know who you are, Aku,” he said again, immediately picking Aku off his feat.

Aku yelped in surprise, grasping onto his shoulders as Jack swung him around to face the mirror as well.

“Look at _yourself_ , demon,” Jack said sharply,

Aku looked, confused by the reaction.

“What? I see this.. body, this weak cage that I am trapped in—”

“No,” Jack said, cupping his face and tilting his head up, “ _look_ at your _eyes_ ,”

Aku stared confusedly at his reflection in the mirror until the green glow caught his attention. He blinked.

Jack turned his face back to look at him.

“Why do you think that I do not know who you are? Because I have been kind to you? Does that _scare_ you, Aku?”

Aku growled, “ _Jack_ , I—”

“No,” Jack said, carrying Aku over to the bed and laying him down, sitting beside him and putting his hands on his shoulders, “Tell me what you are _really_ thinking! You are keeping something from me.”

Aku narrowed his eyes, “What are you-”

“ _Aku_!”

“FINE!” He struggled, like he could escape Jack, even if he wasn’t injured, “Though I did tell you part of it, and you still will not answer me. I do want to know what happens after this. _I need to know_ ,”

Jack nodded, scrunching his face in discomfort.

“You promised not to kill me,”

“I am not going to kill you, Aku, I am not going to hurt you,”

Aku raised an eyebrow.

“ _Please_!”

Aku closed his eyes, nodding, looking just as uncomfortable as Jack felt,

“Do… You remember when you asked me why I saved you? You asked me over and over again…”

“Yes,”

“‘Even you must admit, Samurai,’” he said, staring over Jack’s shoulder like he could see what he was repeating, “‘You would be _nothing_ without me.’”

Jack groaned, looking annoyed, but Aku hushed him.

“As I would _hopeless_ without you.”

Jack blinked, “I do not remember you saying _that_ ,”

“I did not say that, I am saying it _now_. I did say, ‘If you mange to go back into the past and destroy me, reality as you know it, and all your little friends will cease to exist. You will live the rest of your average mortal life knowing that they no longer exist because of _your_ decisions.’ Which… I still believe is true. And you said—”

“The souls of all the people who exist in this world you have created will be replaced into better lives,”

“Yes, and I asked you,‘Who will you be without me?’ to which you said, ‘I will be a man, and I will live the rest of my life in peace.’”

Jack nodded slowly, “And you.. asked me about my life before we met.”

“Yes, that you traveled the world and saw many things.”

“But that it was all in an effort to destroy you,” Jack said, his shoulders going slack at the memory. Aku grasped him by the wrist.

Jack swallowed, closing his eyes and looking away, “I remember that,” he sighed, “And you were right,”

Aku blinked in surprise, “Yes?” He agreed, sounding shocked, “You know this?”

Jack looked uncomfortable, as he always did when his family came up, “Living in this place, knowing many things, has made me…question some of what happened in the past. I… remember you asking me if I could think for myself,” He added, squinting and Aku gave him a weak shrug.

“Yes,” Jack said firmly, “I can think for myself,”

“I know that,” Aku said, with his eyebrow raised, “I was just not getting my point across,”

“‘I did not kill you, Samurai Jack’” Aku continued, looking wearily up at Jack, “‘because there is no greater worship than true hatred. A hatred raised from childhood and nurtured its entire life within a host who knows nothing else… Your people called themselves “pure”, and yet they see me, something outside their natural order as having a right and a wrong. Their response was to trade one human life away. There is no better sacrifice to a vicious deity. And you are just that, aren’t you? You gave your childhood, adolescence, and now adulthood away in order to make _them_ feel safe. You are their sacrifice, their gift.. to _me_.’”

Jack swallowed, blinking rapidly, “I.. we, ah, They did not think of it in that way!”

Aku shrugged again, “Perhaps. But that is how _I_ see it.”

“You really think they did not care about me? Because they were afraid of you?”

Aku smiled, “Nooo, I did not say that,” he tightened his grip on Jack’s wrist slightly, “I am sure they did. I am also sure that they did not _know_ you at all. You were a child. You knew nothing but to do what they told you and they told you to hate _me_.”

“Because you are evil,” Jack said, blinking.

Aku smiled again, “You and I have that in common,”

“What?”

Aku blinked, “What do you mean, ‘what’? Did your father not tell you how he woke me?”

Jack tilted his head, “ _What_?”

Aku’s eyes went wide, “They did not tell you anything?”

“I… I do not know what you are talking about.”

Aku hummed.

“My father woke you up? Like _we_ woke up Nebula?”

Aku laughed a little, “Something like that.”

“Tell me.”

Aku reached up and touched Jack’s face gently, “This face I know as well, disbelief, laced with hatred,”

“I do not hate you,”

“Is that possible?”

“Tell me what happened,”

“Your father welcomed me into this world with violence and fear. I will not try and defend my retaliation to you,” he took in a breath and swallowed, “but then... they sent _you_.”

Jack paled, “Yes, to defeat you…”

Aku snickered, “Forgive my bitterness,” he said smirking, “But why would two people send their only child off to fight a _war_ alone? One human, magical sword or not, against a demon like _me_?”

Jack stared. He wanted to defend them. Defend himself, but he didn’t want to interrupt him. He did want to know what he thought. So he stayed quiet and listened.

“Amazing as you may be, Sa-mu-rai _Jack_ ,” he growled, “All I see is two people who chose someone, their own child, to die for their cause.”

“My village—” he stared but stopped himself. Aku nodded.

“You are correct, of course, I _know_ you hated me. Hate me now whenever you think of it,”

Aku was quiet for a long moment, staring unblinkingly at Jack, “It _irked_ me,” he admitted, “And taking you away, making them wonder, was a better punishment for them in my eyes.”

Jack shook his head, trying to stop himself from automatically arguing.

“I did not like you either,” Aku admitted smirking, “Ah, but I did like to play games with you. Sa-mu-rai Jack, the only mortal that has _ever_ been a threat to me,”

He smiled at the ceiling like he was reminiscing of all the horrible fights. Jack shook his head. Then his green eyes focused on Jack sharply and Jack froze as if he’d been pinned, “Nebula was _never_ allowed to touch you, Jack,” he said in that demonic voice, eyes glowing. The hair on Jack’s arms stood on end, “I will claw my way back out of _hell_ if I have too, if that _thing_ ever touches you again.”

Jack swallowed, staring into green flames that were trying to drag him closer. Aku glared, gripping Jack’s wrist like a vice.

“You are _mine_ ,”

Jack blinked, blushing lightly and shaking his head, “I am my _own_ person,”

Aku nodded slowly, “Yes. I wanted, back then, to kill you myself. To be the reason.”

Jack blinked, watching the same fire in his eyes that was there when he’d tried to kill Jack _and_ when he’d kissed him.

“Right,” Jack said awkwardly.

“Now,” he said, “you are _still_ mine,” The confident commanding voice was making Jack feel an odd mixture of annoyed and aroused.

“To me. _They_ gave you up. To me, you are _supposed_ to stay with me. You are mine,”

Jack struggled to make sense of this from both perspectives.

“Aku, I-I am my own person,”

“I know that,” he said, squinting, “And it is _that_ which I want,”

Jack’s face burned then. He bit his lip.

“You meant it literally?” Jack whispered,

“What?”

“You asked me…What I wanted in return, for _me_.”

“ _Yes_ ,” Aku hissed.

“Let go of my arm, you are bruising me,” Jack whispered and Aku blinked, like he’d been totally unaware of it, and let go of his wrist. “I… If…”

Aku was silent, watching Jack with burning fascination. Jack shivered. _Yes_ , he thought to himself, _I_ can _feel your eyes on me_.

“I… You are very forward!” Jack said, covering his face.

“Yes, well, that is why I am _me_ and you are not.”

Jack shook his head. He slowly leaned down, laying himself beside Aku.

“Well??”

“Thank you,”

“Wha-ah, for?”

“For telling me these things and for saving my life.”

Aku rolled his eyes, “yes, yes, fine. Now tell me the _answer_.”

Jack rolled onto his side to face him, “Let me think for a moment, I-I cannot tell you yet the answers to everything because I need to think about it.”

Aku pouted and Jack burst into laughter.

“I—if when you are a demon again…”

Aku stared and Jack covered his face again.

“If you go back to trying to kill _me_ , I shall have to defend myself. So.. do not do that.”

Aku glared.

“I-I know, you say you will not.”

“You do not believe me at all,”

“I would like to, please show me, when you are,”

Aku growled and rolled his eyes, “Fine!”

Jack was listening to his own jumbled, racing thoughts. He glanced at Aku, who was now breathing softly, painfully, and Jack asked;

“Do you need anything?”

“Seep next to me,” Aku said sternly.

“Don’t I always?” Jack said confused.

Aku looked up at him, his eyes no longer glowing. The fire had gone out.

“I hope so.”


	22. Not with a Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I bet you'll never guess what happens in this chapter ;D

Jack woke up tangled in Aku’s long limbs, his beard just scratching the top of his forehead. He felt the gentle breathing and pushed himself closer, hoping to quench his painful desire for affection he normally pretended he didn’t have. This week had been awful for him. Aku was in much more pain than he was, he knew, but he had grown so used to Aku being near him _all_ the time. And for a demon who made fun of humans for being soft and sentimental, he was very touchy with Jack. _Very touchy_.

Aku made a small noise and turned towards Jack, wrapping his left arm around him. Jack sighed softly, completely uninterested in getting himself up and moving. He’d stay here all day if Aku let him. He seriously doubted he could though. He could hear Ana already moving around upstairs, he needed to exercise, to stretch, to do something productive.

“Why are you awake?” Aku growled at him, still sounding exhausted and raw.

Jack coughed out a laugh, “Why are _you_ awake?”

“Because you are,” Aku said, tilting Jack’s face up. Jack went rigid, locking gazes with Aku. He was still tangled in Aku’s legs, under sheets and blankets, and all of this seemed to strike him at once. Aku raised an eyebrow.

“What is wrong now?”

Jack shook his head and closed his eyes.

Aku saw the blood rushing into Jack’s face and couldn’t help the snicker. Jack had turned to solid stone there, in that position, like that would make this any less intimate. Aku kissed him, just to hear the confused gasp and feel the sudden struggle. He smiled, running his fingers over Jack’s face.

“Run away,” he said to Jack, smirking devilishly. Jack blinked.

“What?”

“Run away, Samurai,” he said smiling, his eyes sparkling mischievously, “You know I get worse before I get _worse_.”

Jack didn’t move, so Aku kissed him again, cupping Jack’s face and hissing at the soft feeling of Jack’s lips against his own. Jack shivered and he gingerly reached up with his right hand to touch Aku’s face. It immediately burned and Aku tried to withhold the twitch but it did not escape Jack, who pulled away, looking sorrowful.

“I am sorry-”

“ _Jack_ ,” Aku growled,

“I do not want to hurt you,” he said, grimacing.

Aku sighed, “Hmm,” he pushed the blankets off himself and Jack tensed a little in the cold air. He reached up and pulled at the button on his shirt, but it was very difficult to do one handed.

“What are you doing?” Jack asked.

“How can you avoid them if you do not know where they all are?”

Jack scoffed, “ _What_? Aku…”

Aku gave him a very fake pleading look, “ _Please_?” he said in the highest voice he could muster with his throat so raw. Jack rolled his eyes and sat up, coming closer and gently undoing the buttons, sliding the shirt off. Aku relaxed again once it was off and Jack scooted over closer, tracing all the lines with his eyes.

Aku smiled at him, “I think they are… getting better?”

“Don’t they all hurt?”

“No, just in the places where it is very, ah, bruised,”

Jack scoffed, “You look bruised everywhere,”

Aku rolled his eyes, “Let me see,” he said, touching his own face with his left hand. “Here, is sore,” he said, turning his face. Jack pulled his hand away and replaced it with his own, delicately exploring. Aku turned his head to the side and Jack slowly traced down his jaw and his neck. His eyes fluttered shut and Jack’s own eyes went wide, he moved slowly lower and Aku twitched.

“Here?”

“Yes,”

“Okay,” Jack said, moving his hands away, some of the bruises were very hard to see, but Jack barely had to touch them to feel them there. Hotter than the rest of his skin, just like the first time. Along his collar bone on the left side was bare and safe. Jack had spent a lot of time staring at his them, since Aku usually had them exposed to some degree and Jack liked them. He’d never tried to touch them before, but now he was fascinated, petting over the bone, memorizing it. He glanced up to make sure Aku was still okay. Aku was totally relaxed, mouth partially open, breathing easily.

“Is this… helping?” Jack whispered hopefully.

“yes,” Aku agreed. Jack leaned closer and kissed him very gently. Aku blinked in surprise.

Jack blushed slightly, bracing himself for laughter or maybe, hopefully, another kiss. He was not prepared for Aku to suddenly lean forward and bite him on the neck where he was sure there was already a healing bruise.

“ _hN_!” Jack breathed in surprise, “Aku, Ah-I-”

Aku came closer, pretending he was not in pain, just so he could slide his hand up Jack’s left arm into his sleeve.

“Aku- Aku—” Jack groaned, pushing him back gently, Aku frowned at him but Jack raised his eyebrows, burning red, “You- you are injured,”

Aku rolled his eyes so far back he looked pupil-less for just a moment before fixing Jack with a come hither stare and whispering, “Make me feel better,”

Jack balked and sat up, covering his mouth, trying to calm himself.

“Aku I do not want to hurt you,”

Aku chucked softly, “Is that the only reason?”

Jack took a deep breath and then glared down at him, “I am not answering that,”

Aku’s eyes went wide and pleading, “ _What_!?”

Jack shook his head, sliding off the bed away from him, feeling his left hand just graze off his other sleeve.

“ _Aku_!” Jack hissed, pushing him back into the bed, “You can barely _stand_ ,”

“This doesn’t involve _standing_ ,” he purred back and Jack covered his face.

“You _are_ a demon,” he mumbled, walking into the bathroom, “You _are_ , you are a _demon_ ,”

Aku watched him close the door and turned his attention back to his right hand. It was throbbing. At least he’d been distracted for a few minutes. He sighed, struggling to get comfortable again. Jack came out again shortly, his hair properly pinned back and giving an Aku a stern look as he came closer.

Aku huffed at him but Jack stayed out of arms reach.

“I am going with Ana to help her with house things and…halloween?”

“Ah,” Aku said, squinting, “Halloween…”

“Unless you need something right now, I will be back later,”

“You are going to leave me here?” Aku asked casually.

Jack didn’t miss the sudden softness in tone and he turned to see Aku frowning at nothing in particular. He came back again.

“Do you want to help?”

“I do not want to stay down here in the dark forever,” he muttered,

Jack tilted his head slightly, and Aku could see him absolutely red in the face, unconsciously licking his lips and he froze.

“I will take you up there if you promise… A-and…I-If you, if you behave,”

Aku’s eyes went wide.

“If you are feeling better later… I.. we, maybe,” He muttered, swallowing and hurrying to unlock the door so he did not have to look at Aku as he burst into maniacal laughter.

Jack turned around, eyes narrowed scooping him up none too gently. Aku coughed lightly but then wrapped his arms around Jack’s shoulders. Tingles ran up his scalp as Aku petted ‘accidentally’ though his hair.

“Sorry,” Aku murmured, leaning against Jack. As usual, Jack was totally caught off guard by any gentleness Aku displayed. Especially towards him.

“Come on then,” he said, shaking his head, kicking the door open as he walked through it. Aku snickered.

“What?”

“Yes!” He cried, “Carry my like an Egyptian Princess!”

Jack scoffed, “You _are_ a princess,”

Aku smiled at him, “That is the weakest attempt to insult me you’ve ever given,”

“I did not say it was an insult, you did,”

Aku smiled, he didn’t fight Jack carrying him up the steps and into the kitchen. Ana smirked amusedly when Jack walked past her, raising an eyebrow at how Aku was leaning against his shoulder with his eyes closed. He sighed, helping Aku into a chair and walked over to the counter.

“No! I” Ana started but Jack pointed to the table sharply.

“Sit!” Jack commanded at her, “it is _my_ turn to take care of _you_ ,”

“Fine” she pouted and sat beside Aku.

“Hello, little queen,” he said pleasantly and she tilted her head at him but didn’t ask. She leaned closer conspiratorially.

“Hey, Aku,”

“Hmm?”

“You’re goanna invite me right??”

“What?” He blinked in confusion.

“I can help you with the planning and stuff,” she said, grinning

Aku raised an eyebrow, “Wha,”

“I’ve always wanted to go to a wedding,” she teased, giggling.

Aku blinked, raising his eyebrows at her. She waited for him to scowl, or get embarrassed like Jack had, but he just hummed thoughtfully, pushing his hair out of his face.

“Of course you’ll be invited,” he smirked, winking. She burst into giggles.

“Wha? What is so funny?” Jack asked confusedly. Aku gave him an innocent little smile.

“Ana has lost her mind I think,” he said in a high voice, “I have _no_ idea,”

She burst into loud laughter and Jack smiled at them, shaking head and turning back to the counter.

“Which one of you gets to be in a pretty dress??” She asked quietly.

“Oh, that’s a good question,” he said, stroking through his beard with his bandaged hand, “Jack would look very nice in a dress wouldn’t he?” He smirked and then leaned back a little, “I do not know if I could handle being shown up at my own wedding though,” he mock sighed. She smiled.

“How can you be shown up if you’re getting to marry him?”

“True,” he agreed amusedly.

“You’d look pretty in a dress too,” she told him, nodding confidently.

“I _know_ , I have been in a dress before,”

She snorted, covering her mouth when Jack peered at them again. The ‘sweet and innocent’ face Aku kept giving him was killing her.

“What kind of dress?” She pushed, as soon as Jack looked away again, leaning on the table.

Aku chuckled, “Why?”

“I dunno, I guess cuz, I can’t picture you in a dress,” she admitted slightly louder than she’d meant too.

“What?!” Jack exclaimed confusedly, “What are you two talking about?” He looked back and for the between whatever he was cooking, Aku couldn’t tell, and them.

Ana smiled at Aku and he shrugged.

“What kind of dress Aku would look best in,” she said, snorting at the look of confused fear on Jack’s face.

“Whaaat?” Ana asked, pretending to be sad, “I _like_ dresses! Anyone can wear a dress if they want too. Aku told me he has worn a dress before.”

Jack nodded, his ears lightly red, “Yes, you, you do whatever makes you happy,”

“What kind of dress _would_ I look best in?”

Ana hummed and Jack glared into the food he was making.

Ana shrugged, “Like a regular dress or..?”

“Whatever is best,”

“Uhm, white seems weird for you,”

“White?” Jack mumbled, still confused.

“Yeah, aren’t wedding dresses usually white?”

_What?_ Jack leaned against the counter, swallowing uncomfortably.

“Yes,”

“What do people wear on their weddings uhm, where you’re from?” She asked Jack curiously.

Jack turned slowly, giving Aku an accusatory glare before looking at Ana.

“Uchikake,” Jack said, swallowing, “The woman will wear uchikake. Usually white and red silk kimono. Where I am from, anyway.”

“What about the guys?”

“Montsuki,”

“What’s that?”

“It is similar to a suit,” Jack said shyly.

“Is that uhm, Japanese, that you’re speaking?”

“Yes,” Aku said, smiling at Jack. Jack huffed and looked away again.

Ana looked at Aku, fascinated, “That is so pretty,”

“Hmm?”

“Your language, is so pretty,” she said and mumbled some attempts at pronouncing the words Jack had used. Jack froze and Aku winced. and Ana stopped, her eyes grew wide.

“I-I’m Sorry, did I do something wrong? I-I didn’t mean to upset you,”

Jack shook his head, pouring the food he’d made into a bowl. He set it on the table in front of them.

“I do not hear my language anymore,” he said in a pained whisper, “You-you have done nothing wrong,” he said smiling sadly.

“You miss it?” She asked.

“Yes,”

She looked between Jack and Aku, “Do _you_ speak Japanese?”

Aku laughed, “Yes, that is what my accent is,”

“Ooooooh,” she said nodding, “Well, can you teach me?”

Jack blinked, “why? Isn’t it a dead language?” He looked at Aku. Aku grimaced.

“Do not blame me for that, that is the internets fault.”

“The internet?” Jack said skeptically,

“Yes,” he said insistently, “English is the language of the internet, so the whole planet learned how to use it. It killed off many languages. Not just ours.” Aku raised an eyebrow, grimacing at the thought.

“Is it gone?” Ana asked sadly,

“No,” Aku said, “Nobody uses it anymore is all,” he smiled at Jack, “Usually.”

She smiled at them, “The more people learn it the more it won’t be a dead language,” she said brightly, “One person at a time! That way you can have more than one person to speak to in your language,”

“I do not know,” Jack said softly.

[[“Come on, Jack,”]] Aku said, [[“She wants to share it with you,”]]

Ana gawked, “Wow! _That_ is so cool, Japanese is a _beautiful_ language!”

Jack smiled and, nodded, “Okay,”

“What did you say??” She asked.

Aku smiled but Jack cut him off.

“He was using our beautiful language to _whine_ at me,”

Ana snorted at Aku’s glare.

“How do you say, ‘congratulations’ ?” She asked.

Jack hummed, sitting across from them, “Why?”

“I want to say it correctly at your wedding,” she told him with a mischievous smile.

Aku choked on his own laughter, leaning against the table to hold himself up. Jack burned red, rolling his eyes. Ana grinned, raising her eyebrows at the sound.

“Have you not heard him do that?” Jack asked, still looking mortally embarrassed.

“Only on TV,” she admitted, nodding, looking impressed, “It’s actually a lot scarier in person,”

The maniacal laughter shook Aku and it took a long moment for him to calm down enough to sit straight, and even then he was still giggling. Jack shook his head.

“Omedetō,” Jack told her quietly.

Aku snapped his mouth shut in surprise. Then he smiled much more softly at Jack.

[[“Can demons _get_ married?”]] Jack snarked at Aku.

Aku scoffed, “Demons do whatever they want, _in case you haven’t noticed_ , human.”

[[…"I will not wear a dress,”]] Jack hiss whispered.

Aku’s eyes went wide.

“ _Oh_! I heard the word! 'Wedding dress’, right?”

“Hai,” they both said nodding. She laughed excitedly.

Ana was fascinated with the way Jack had made their food, which confused him for a moment before he explained that that was what he always did. She wanted him to explain how to do it, so she could do it too. Aku tiredly made his way through some of the food, mostly making jokes and answering Ana’s barrage of questions. Jack accidentally brought up Halloween again and Ana jumped to her feet, racing into the closet to search for decorations. She made quite a mess on the floor. Aku slid out of his chair when Jack was watching her and stumbled onto the door frame before Jack caught up with him. Aku ignored the aggravated chiding from Jack, pulling Aku’s left arm over his shoulders so he didn’t put any weight on the burns. Ana spread boxes out on the floor and beamed at them.

“Aku, you can sort these while we go get a real pumpkin,”

Aku shrugged his assent and Jack grabbed him before he could walk over and picked him up, setting him on the floor in front of Ana. Ana’s grin split her whole face.

“Do not burn my house down,” She ordered as she slid on her coat and skipped out the door, calling for Jack to follow. Jack paused, putting on his shoes and glanced back at Aku.

“You will be okay?”

Aku’s green eyes sparkled, “Oh yes,” he said lowly, “I plan on being, ‘very good’,”

Jack bit his lip, and hurried to follow Ana, locking the door behind him.

All day, he thought about it _all_ day. Even as Jack helped Ana clear out real spider webs so that she could hang up fake ones, rake the front yard, helped her carry heavy boxes back and forth while she explained that they had to do with the beads, and finally went all the way back to the market with her to get a ‘real’ pumpkin. He didn’t question why the small ones were not real. He enjoyed his time with her, he really did, but he could not focus.

He kept pulling anxiously at the scarf, chewing on his own lips and feeling incredibly guilty for not being able to stop. He kept seeing confusing flashes in his mind, out of order moments. Aku dancing in the colorful lights. Aku baring his sharp teeth when he was angry. Ikra touching his face and giving him a smug expression when she won a fight right in front of him. The memory of a stinging pain as Aku mouthed the cuts on his arm and bit his neck, much harder than he had this morning. The smokey smell he seemed to get when he was excited…

He was was waiting for Ana to come back with her ‘real pumpkin’, trying to live in the moment when the worst one hit him. As if he’d fallen asleep in the middle of the day, as if he were having a vision, he saw himself pinned down as he had been in that chair. This time though, he was on the floor, and Aku was over him, pinning his hands over his head. The sound of his laughter echoed through him and left him shaking, but he could not move his arms at all. That wasn’t right though, was it? Aku now wasn’t quite as strong as Jack was. Aku… in his human body. His blinded eyes went wider as in his mind the grip on his wrists became distinctly smoother, Aku’s body shifting into a shadowy silhouette, his eyes burning. Literally burning, how _easy_ it would be for him to.. too.. Jack shook, blinking himself back into reality.

What would he do to him if he _could_? The question itself made Jack feel light headed before his imagination would even _answer_ it. Jack would _not_ be able to struggle, not if he had already allowed Aku to pin him down without his sword. He’d been pinned like that before, but the memory of it had only ever brought anger to him before. Now… Now he couldn’t stop trying to remember how the texture had felt. If it had been warm or cold. And Aku would be able to get through Jack’s clothes much easier, not like the frantic,… whatever they had already done, Aku would be able to take them off without even letting go of Jack to do so. He… He wouldn’t _need_ to take them off if he didn’t want too, there was nothing really stopping him from shifting into Jack’sclothes if he decided to…

Water splashed over his feet and Jack jerked in shock, realizing he’d dropped the water bottle he’d been holding. He looked around nervously and sighed, picking it up quickly and trying to calm his racing heartbeat.

Well… Aku had obviously been asking him for it. Jack unconsciously ran his hand over his scarf again. Without thinking about it he slid his fingers under the fabric and pressed the bruise. He hissed, arousal sparking all through his body. He yanked his hand away, apparently that was still very sensitive.

They…They did not need to do anything so rough _right now_. Aku did not have his powers anyways and— Jack let out a sharp breath. He… he could be gentle. He could do it slowly, _without_ hurting Aku. If he still wanted to of course. He could almost _hear_ the derisive scoff. He looked around again and let out a breath. He wanted to do it. He really wanted too, and there was no real reason not to. He shook his head and hurried down the street.

He hadn’t felt this way since he was a very very frustrated 18 year old. What had instigated that he could not remember, but he did remember that being the first time he’d had to _do_ something about it. Finding somewhere to be completely alone was difficult and it hadn’t lasted long since he’d been so aroused for so long. He didn’t feel like he was quite that out of control anymore.

But he did feel a painful rush. It felt very different, being _wanted_ so badly. He blushed at the thought, people had offered before and he’d always panicked his way out of it. Even if it might have been okay. He just didn’t want to be with a stranger. That felt dangerous and wrong in a very bad way… Somehow this was dangerous and wrong in exactly the right way. He swallowed down his thoughts, determined to stay in the present moment and not drop anything else.

He managed to buy what he wanted, without making any eye contact with the clerk, and got back to Ana before she’d noticed. Either that or she just didn’t care. That was also possible.

Once home Ana continued her decorating. The decorations were all sorted on the floor. The organization made absolutely no sense to Jack but he figures it had something to do with Halloween themes. Aku was not there so Jack walked into the kitchen and the hallway, sighing when he realized he must have gone back into the basement. He rolled his eyes and went down to see Aku, armed with more tea.

He opened the door and set the tea on the dresser, fully expecting Aku to be asleep. The bed was empty. Jack blinked. There was blood on the floor, the blankets were tangled all over.

“Ah,…” Jack gasped, searching the room frantically.

“Jack,” Aku said and he spun around to see the bathroom door open. He followed the sound of his name.

“Aku? What is happening?” He asked frantically, “I was only gone for a few _hours_ ,”

“Felt _disgusting_ ,” Aku complained, leaning tiredly against the shower wall. Jack could see now why there was blood everywhere, he’d ripped off the bandages again.

Jack sighed, “You could not have waited for me to help you with that?” He said, picking up some of the gauze and tossing it in the trash.

Aku just sighed and shook his head. Jack sat on the floor beside him.

“How are you?”

Aku shrugged nonchalantly, “ _Wonderful_ ,”

Jack sighed, glancing over where Aku had given up struggling with his sleeves to pull off the bandages.

“What temperature?” Jack asked.

“What?”

Jack smiled, “You wanted to get clean, did you not?”

“Yes,”

“What temperature water?”

Aku gave Jack a grumpy look and sighed softly, “ah, I am not sure.”

Jack nodded, “Okay, let’s try warm,” he turned the faucet on low and then moved back to where Aku was leaning against the wall, pulling him forward to slide the shirt off his arms. It peeled off his hot skin and Jack grimaced sympathetically. No wonder he was uncomfortable, He must have gotten too hot. Jack steeled himself and helped Aku with the rest of his clothing, letting the water run warmer. It was definitely not not comfortable for Aku, his ‘litchenberg figures’ were still very angry looking, even where they had mostly healed into scars. Some places though, were still raw, blistering and now irritated. Jack sighed and backed off to grab the medicine kit under the sink.

Aku sank down the wall slowly, glaring at the tiles with a heat completely disproportionatefor something aimed at an inanimate object.

Jack helped him sit up again, “sorry,” Jack whispered awkwardly.

“For what?” Aku grumbled,

“For... invading your privacy? And- and because you look as if you feel terrible,”

Aku laughed lightly, “yes...” he sighed, grimacing as Jack tilted the water towards him. “It is... nightmarish. Having you, of all people ... see me so...”

That made sense to Jack. He imagined he would feel mortified if Aku had to take care of him for so long. He hadn’t even thought about that before though, he was happy to do it. Well, no— happy was the wrong word. He _wanted_ to help because he wanted Aku to get better.

“I suppose you will never get that image out of your mind, Samurai?”

For a moment Jack saw Aku, as he had been, trembling as blood poured from every orifice on his face. He shook his head quickly.

“That is unfortunate,” he said, and Jack smiled.

He thought he should say something comforting. He was not sure what. He crossed his legs again, trying not to watch Aku tilting his hair into the water and sighing in relief. Even if he was burning to do just that.

“Ah... well,” Jack murmured, fixing his eyes on a square tile on the wall, “It was not good,”

Aku chuckled and the sound reverberated all around the room. Jack closed his eyes, willing himself not to blush as he could feel the pitch vibrating in his chest. He was grateful to hear him laughing though. He hadn’t realized how much he would miss if they were separated.

“Are _you_ okay?” He asked, startling Jack.

“Uh, yes, I am, thank you,”

“Good, then hand me that,” he pointed and Jack gave him the bottle of soap. His eyes lingered on Aku as he washed his hair. It had grown so long over the last few months and it was just a little curly, giving him that ‘I don’t care, I just woke up like this’ look. Except all the time. The soap was running down his neck, over the lines and—Jack forced his eyes away. Irritated with his deteriorating sense of self control. he’d been experiencing that a lot lately.

_Do you feel my eyes on you?_

He remembered and went red. At least he wasn’t the only one staring... he guessed. Aku didn’t even remember saying that though. Did that count?

Aku chuckled again and Jack looked over quickly. Jack stared. Aku’s wet hair was sticking to his face, but his green eyes glowed, staring through the tangles at Jack. It was dim in the small bathroom and the warm light from the other room that filtered in was hazy in the steam. Like at the club, only this time Aku was not taking up a spotlight. He should not be so intimidating like this, wounded, and tired. But Jack found the sight of him quite unnerving. He was still Aku after all. Unpredictable, dangerous, and making Jack feel very much like hiding his face.

“Am I making you uncomfortable ?” He asked, sounding not in the least apologetic.

“Uh,” Jack pulled his eyes away, letting go of a shaky breath

“I haven’t been asleep for several more days, have I?”

Jack shook his head.

“Then didn’t you _kiss_ me just yesterday?”

Jacks face burned, “Yes,...”

“So why are you out there?”

“What?”

Aku rolled his eyes, reaching out with his right hand very carefully to pull at Jack’s arm.

Jack’s eyes went wide and he felt the blush traveling up his forehead and over his ears.

Aku snickered and Jack blinked confusedly at him, “You.. you do not want me _in_ there?”

Aku looked surprised and then smiled at Jack.

“Yes, you _idiot_ ,” he whispered, “I do,” 

Jack fumbled. With his thoughts, with his hands, with his words, “Uh-ah, uhm,”

Aku snickered again, “Just say it is for _me_ , as moving is still quite painful,” he said,

Jack closed his eyes.

“Unless,”

Jack opened them again, meeting Aku’s curiously blank eyes.

“You do not want to?”

Jack stuttered and shook his head.

“You do not?”

“No! That is-I-ah,” Jack shook his head again and stood up, shutting the door and locking it, though the other door was locked too. Jack shakily took the pin from his hair, feeling it fall down his neck, “I am just... not accustomed to..” he hummed, looking at Aku, hoping he would just _say_ it as he sometimes did. Aku innocently smiled.

Jack stood there, desperately fighting himself. He wanted to be close to him again so badly, it was almost painful. Yet he did not want to hurt Aku, or do the wrong thing, or...

“Come _here_ ,”

“Okay,” Jack conceded, stepping nervously closer and sinking to his knees just beside Aku.

“H-how do I help you?” Jack asked, unable to meet Aku’s eyes.

Aku had watched him struggle for long enough. He pushed himself to turn and cup Jack’s face with his left hand. Jack moved closer instantly, his eyes still mostly closed, refusing to look him in the face when he kissed him.

Aku laughed softy and Jack froze, “What are you so afraid of?”

“I am not afraid,” Jack said automatically.

“Then take that off, and come closer, Jack,”

Jack nodded, his eyes still closed. He sat up again, pushing his now wet hair out of his face and undid his belt, sliding off his gi. There was a slight crinkle that had nothing to do with the fabric. Jack blushed, but Aku didn’t seem to notice and then, nervously, he undid the fundoshi. Aku stared openly for a second, and he tilted his head back, smirking at Jack.

He held his left hand out again and Jack took it, following him into the warm water. Jack kissed him softly, fingering through his hair. It was still very soapy. He smiled, he was sort of hoping that might happen. Aku let Jack push him up against the wall and slide him mostly sideways, laying Aku’s legs over his own so that he would not accidentally touch the burns. Jack worked the soap into his hair. Aku sighed like he’d been holding his breath and leaned his head against Jack’s shoulder. It was a little difficult to do this when he was leaning against him but Jack couldn’t blame him. He could feel how tired he was in the slowness of his motions and the stuttering breaths.

Jack shivered when Aku rested his left hand on his shoulder blade, where he’d recently left scratches that were now healed. Jack tilted himself out of the way of the water so that he could rub his fingers through Aku’s hair as the soap drained away.

Aku sighed happily, resting completely against Jack.

“Are you tired?” Jack asked gently and was immediately given a half lidded, glowy eyed, sultry smirk, as Aku’s hair dropped down his face.

“What?”

Aku raised his eyebrows in surprise, “you are... aroused,” he said flatly and Jack blushed, swallowing.

“..yes,” he admitted quietly. Aku’s wicked smile became beautifully devious.

“I think I have been good,” he said amusedly,

Jack kissed him gently before saying, “No, you ripped all your bandages off,”

“Ahhhk,” Aku groaned, “I just wanted to be clean. That isn’t _bad_ ,”

“Yes it—“

“I didn’t break anything,” Aku said, pawing at Jacks scalp with his uninjured hand, “I did not cause trouble, I have been very, very good,” he purred in his deep voice.

Jack let out a shuttering sigh and Aku scoffed in surprise.

“Jack..”

“What?” He asked in mild alarm, worried he’d hurt him, Aku sat up straighter, looking over Jack’s face in the dark room.

“You like it when I do that, don’t you?”

Jack blinked, “What? Break things? Of course n—“

“No,” Aku said, leaning closer to Jack’s ear and running his lips along the edge before saying in his dark voice, dripping with lust, “You like it when I talk to you like _this_ , don’t you... _Jack_ ,” he rumbled. Jack didn’t need to respond, Aku could feel the heat pooling in Jacks hips, since he was pressed very close, and Jack wrapped his arms around Aku gingerly.

Jack was almost embarrassed. Like he’d been caught doing something he was not supposed to be doing, until he Aku slid forward in his grip on the slippery tiles and Jack could feel that he was hard. He hurried his face into the junction of his neck and shoulder where he knew he was not burned and sucked at the skin. Aku’s fingers became nails across his shoulder blade.

“You will tell me if I hurt you,” Jack told him. It wasn’t a question. Aku knew he’d be in trouble if he did not. He tilted his head away from Jack, grasping him loosely by his wet hair and pressing his mouth harder against his skin.

Jack hummed, there, just under the smell of soap and steam was that smoke he’d been fantasizing about all day. He slid his hands down, barely touching his ribs where he knew Aku was still hurting, and rested one hand on his hip, sliding the other one between them. Aku let out a startled growl of, “ _Jack_ ,” as he palmed him gently over his cock.

Jack pulled him closer, “What?” he mumbled, gently closing his fingers around him. Aku took in a sharp breath.“Did I hurt y—”

“No,” Aku groaned, biting lightly at his shoulder, he wrapped his right arm over Jack’s shoulders and freed his left hand, sliding it over his chest, “I did not think you would do something so _bold_ ,”

“Ah,” Jack whispered back, grasping him a bit more firmly, smiling at the broken breath Aku let out, “You tease me _constantly_ ,” he said softly, “Did you think it was not working?”

Aku’s eyes went wide and he turned to Jack as if to say something but Jack slid his hand up and over the head and Aku made a noise like he’d been punched. Jack smiled.

“Ah-no,” Aku said lightly, clawing at Jack’s chest,

“No? You did not think it was working?” he asked, twisting his hand as he slid it down, now slickened by the precum.

“N-no, I,” he groaned, shivering. Aku felt his face heating up in shock. It had never once occurred to him that Jack would take over like this. He usually acted as if he was terrified of intimate contact at all, Aku was the instigator, he was the aggressor, but right now? He realized, Jack had him literally backed into a wall, Jack, who right now was _much_ stronger than he was. Not just because he was injured. His eyes rolled back as Jack kissed him just below his jaw. Jack’s strong hand on his back, holding them together. “ _Khn_ -”

“What?” Jack asked. He was struck with sudden stage fright and he gripped his shoulders hard.

“Nothing, _nothing_!” he hissed, panting. Jack cupped his face and in the most karmicmove he’d ever been witness to, forced him to look into Jack’s eyes. He was _smiling_.

“You really did not think it was working?”

Aku laughed nervously, and shook his head.

Jack nodded and kissed him, feeling Aku frantically trying to figure out where to put his hands. Neither of them had any experience in this, _really_. But, Jack realized, of the two of them, he actually had a lot more. At least he’d been human for more than a few _months_. He broke apart, hearing Aku gasping in surprise and put his hand on his face again.

“ _Aku_ ,” he whispered, a little dizzy himself, “Relax,” he said gently, and tried not to smile at the power rush seeing Aku’s face light up red. He slammed his eyes shut.

“Can I ask you something?” Jack asked, resting his own desire to keep kissing his soft lips.

“ye-Ah?” Aku groaned, jerking against Jack’s grip on him,  
“Why did you not, um, why did you not try to get out of our clothes when we did this last?”

Aku’s eyes opened again, “What?”

“You didn’t try to take off our clothes,”

“No, I…”

He didn’t know. Jack paused, his own eyes wide.

“Aku?” he whispered, “Was that the first time you ever..?”

“I told you I have not been with anyone else,”

“Yes, I know,” Jack said gently, swallowing his discomfort. He needed to know. “Was that the first time you _ever_ reached climax?”

Aku shook his wet hair out of his eyes and tilted his head slightly. Jack’s own face was burning, emotions swirling rapidly around his stomach almost painfully. Aku blinked a few times, thinking, he breathed in sharply.

“Yes, I think so.”

Jack’s eyes went wide, “Ah, w-with _me_?”

Aku tilted his head again, “What are you talking about?”

Jack touched his forehead, “I… Did you even know what you were doing?”

Aku sighed, “Yes, I _knew_ what I was doing, I just.. Why?”

Jack kissed him gently. Aku made a strange noise and Jack looked at him.

“You have?” Aku asked confused,

“I get frustrated,” Jack whispered honestly, “Sometimes, I.. yes,”

Aku blinked a few times, the meaning of all this settling in his mind, he shrugged slightly, “Does that change something?”

Jack hummed, sliding his hand back around Aku, who hissed, grasping onto Jack’s shoulders again.

“Maybe,” Jack said, pushing his face against his neck, mouthing the skin there. Aku tilted his head away, much to Jack’s surprise and Jack was hit with another power trip. He pulled Aku closer, away from the wall, into his lap, wrapping his arm around him. Aku groaned, completely unresistant. Jack paused, his vision blurring slightly just from hearing those noises from _his_ demon. He slid his hand up again, varying the pressure in his fingers,

“Jack, _Jack_!” Aku growled, panting,

“Aku,” Jack whispered, “Can you reach my gi?”

“Hn??”

“I need it,” Jack told him, kissing his way up to his ear, biting him lightly.

“K-N!” Aku struggled in his arms, falling back as soon as Jack let go of his ear.

“Can you reach it?”

“Maybe,” Aku gasped, reaching over. It was just out of his arms reach, so he twisted his leg around, kicking it closer. Jack was momentarily distracted by the moments, looking down at his beautiful long legs and swallowing. Jack’s brow furrowed.

“You are so beautiful,” he mumbled hand unconsciously, Aku arched in his grasp, crying out in shock. For a moment, Jack thought he’d pushed him over the edge already. When he realized that was not the case he turned back to Aku, tilting his head. He looked _high_.

“You…” Jack mumbled, leaning closer, “You are beautiful,”

Aku writhed like he’d been burned, “Jack! Jack _stop_!”

Jack gasped at the sight, his hair in his face, trying to hold onto Jack even as his body seemed to be trying to escape. He could feel the pulsing beneath his fingers and loosened his grip, Aku un tensed again, clawing at Jack.

“You are so sensitive,” Jack said in surprise,

Aku glared at him, “Yes well,” he said quickly, between pants, “I can usually control it, but I cannot control this body,”

Jack smiled, “I see,”

He shook his head, pulling Aku closer to him again, since he’d managed to wriggle his way back up against the wall. He grabbed his gi, one handed and pulled the small bag out, shaking the contents onto the shower floor. Aku watched him, blinking rapidly.

Jack picked it up and pushed it into Aku’s left hand.

“Open it, I can’t,” he said, and continued kissing down his shoulder, sliding his hand up and down very slowly.

“Wh-??” Aku sighed, biting at the plastic wrapped around the top of the clear bottle, ripped it off, and popped it open. He could not see what it was in the dark, and he did not have enough attention left to care.

“Thank you,” Jack said, pulling his hand away from Aku. Aku grimaced. Jack slid them both back and guided Aku to lay on the floor, rearranging Aku’s legs over his own shoulders. Aku watched him, the little hint of anxiety in his burning green eyes. Jack bit back a groan.

“You... are so pale,” he said and leaned down to kiss his skin, avoiding the lines, tasting the shivers.

Aku jolted, “N-n-ah, not usually,”

“no,” Jack agreed and then locked eyes with Aku, smirking, “Your darkness is very beautiful, as is your real self.”

Aku’s face burned even as he glared at Jack, but Jack ignored this, mouthing wherever he could find uninjured skin along his inner thigh. Jack kissed back down with gentle reverence. He did not plan to disappoint. He wasn’t sure how he could express to Aku that it meant something to Jack that he’d gotten to be there the first time…He gripped the base cock, listening to the keening cry, and leaned forward, drawing his lips tightly over the head and drew him in.

The strangled cry of shocked pleasure gave Jack the third power trip he’d had that night. He was hopping he’d have at least one more if his plans went well. Aku’s bandaged hand was grasping at the tiles floor, his other braced against the Jack’s shoulder.

The muscles of Aku’s stomach were tense, his breaths short and labored. He was open mouth panting, face flushed with warmth, his brows furrowed in pleasant surprise. And his eyes were hooded, dark pupils blown wide and focused hard on what Jack was doing to him. Jack moaned and the vibration made Aku gasp, bucking up against Jack, but Jack held him down. He sank up and down slightly slower than the pace Aku’s twitching demanded.

“ _Jack_!” Aku hissed in ecstasy, bending his legs over his back like he could not control them. This did not keep Jack from holding him still and he smiled, sliding his hand down Aku’s thigh, between his legs, and wound teasingly lightly around the base. Jack pulled off for a moment in an effort to breath, replacing his mouth with his other hand. He glanced up at the look of confused bliss on Aku’s face. _Gods_ he…

He needed to concentrate, he chewed his lip for a moment, _yes_ , _concentrate_. Jack carefully explored the length of his cock before letting out a breath and drawing his tongue across the head and swallowing him down again. His fingers moved down over his balls.

Aku made a choking noises, unable to move his hips, he clawed wildly at the tiles.

“Kk-CH-J-Jack..” he growled, his pupils disappeared his half lidded eyes.

Hot water poured over Jack’s hair and shoulders.

Aku ground his teeth in an effort not to fly off the edge so fast. Looking down at Jack did not help. He clenched his hands hard, jerking again in surprise when he felt him move his fingers lower. It didn’t register in his sex addled mind what Jack was doing.

Jack released him again, grabbing the bottle that Aku had completely forgotten was still in his hand and turned it over on his own hand. Jack raised his eyebrows at Aku when he did not speak. He set the bottle aside and re adjusted his legs closer.

“I, I want to do something for you,” Jack whispered, a little confused by Aku’s tense silence.

“Okay,” he said quietly, and Jack tilted his head at him.

“Are you okay?”

Aku nodded and Jack pushed two fingers back up against the ring of muscles just barely. Aku grasped Jack immediately and Jack froze.

“Cold,” he said, grimacing, as his mind caught up his shoulders tensed. Jack really _was_ taking charge. He found he did not really have a problem with that.

“When did you get that?” he asked, and Jack blushed, smiling at him.

“Today,” he admitted shyly.

Aku grinned, “You were planning on doing this to me all day?”

“I did say…”

Aku laid his head back, putting his arms over his eyes. Jack laughed.

“Are you okay?”

“Yep,” he said, chewing his lip.

“‘Yep’?” he chuckled lightly, “Okay,” Jack turned, mouthing his inner thigh, feeling Aku instantly tense. He slid his fingers back up against him for a moment in a teasing sort of warning before pushing his middle finger forward.

Aku grunted, struggling to stay still. It was _not_ comfortable. Jack brought his mouth back down over him with no warning and Aku hissed. Distracted, Jack managed to slide his first finger in all the way. He could still feel the struggle as Aku’s body resisted, even if Aku himself did not. Jack hummed lightly.

“ _JAck_!”Aku cried out shivering. That was just one, he realized, and he was not sure how far Jack wanted to take this. He clenched his teeth. There was no way in hell he was going to tell Jack to stop. He might never be possessed to be this bold again. He fought himself tooth and nail to relax, even with the assistance of the lubricant it was still rather painful. But Jack’s mouth around him was driving him _crazy_ , it was so so good, the hot wet slide seemed to create spots in his vision. That could be because he kept forgetting to breath, but he wasn’t sure. Jack tightened the suction and Aku’s eyes went wide, white hot pleasure spiking all up through his body. As he slowly brought himself back down from the desire to scream, he realized he’d made it to two fingers. _Gods._

“This.. this is something people _do_?” He asked in a high voice, sounding skeptical.

“Mhmm,” Jack murmured since his mouth was currently occupied.

“Hnn,” Aku grimaced but did not ask Jack to stop. He refused to do so. He bit his lip hard and white knuckled nothing.

Jack slowly added a third finger, feeling Aku underneath him struggling to allow it. He licked up the underside of his cock to distract him.

Aku groaned again, grabbing Jack loosely by the hair.

Almost there, Jack sank down as far as he could handle before sliding all the way off. Aku’s fingers dragged delicately over his face and lips in fascination. Jack smiled. He curled his fingers and Aku grimaced, dropping his hands to the tiles again with a dull thud.

Jack pulled off and Aku groaned, his brows furrowed.

“A.. Aku,” Jack whispered.

“What? _yes_? What?” he stuttered, and Jack could see that he was uncomfortable and he frowned at him. But he could tell him off later, he wanted to do this right now. Jack prepared to angle his fingers in the right direction, he knew what he was about to do and he _really_ wanted to see his reaction.

“Aku, are you okay?”

“Yes!” he growled, and Jack shook his head.

“Liar,” he whispered. Aku blinked and Jack curled his fingers in, brushing against something. Aku convulsed, mouth opening in a shocked soundless cry of pleasure. Jack smiled and let him relax again, watching him gasping in shock.

“oh...” he moaned appreciatively, “ _jack_ ”

“Can I keep going?”

Aku smiled, closing his eyes, “Yes,”

Jack sank back down over his cock, humming softly as he curled his fingers in once more. He ran his fingers over the bundle of nerves diligently, dragging his fingers across it almost roughly. He felt Aku’s body locking up violently, heard the nearly pained gasp, and did it all over again.

“Jack-JACK _Fuck_!” he yelled, and Jack could feel that he was close, shaking violently around him. He released him and leaned himself forward, looking sternly into Aku’s eyes.

“Wha-”

Jack grasped him around his cock with his free hand, “You, are _beautiful_ ,”

Aku screamed out loud this time, grasping Jack's hair with both hands as he was shattered by the orgasm. Jack managed to not fall forward from the sudden force of hands in his hair and how tightly Aku’s legs had suddenly closed around him. With his eyes wide open he could not miss the little electrical sparks that burst into lights, all around them, even in the water, mixing steam with smoke. The smell of fire just barely reaching him. Aku fell back, and Jack saw long black fingers returning to their very pale green. His eyes went wide.

Aku shuttered in the aftershock, Jack slowly removed his fingers, wiping his mouth on his other wrist. Aku looked boneless, like a rag doll.

“Are you alright?” Jack asked, half amused, half worried.

Aku smiled, mumbling something incomprehensible and then stopped moving. Jack lurched forward, touching his face. He was asleep. Jack blinked and then laughed lightly. Apparently he’d pushed him a _little_ too far. He cleaned Aku off as gingerly as he could. He still twitched in his sleep. Gods he was so incredibly sensitive. Jack wondered at what nerves he would have to have to do any of what Aku usually did when he constantly felt the world so deeply. He _had_ said he could control it before, but he wasn’t sure he really believed that. He turned off the shower and picked Aku up off the floor. He remained like a rag doll and Jack grimaced a little, taking him back into the bedroom and laying him on the blankets. He’d have to switch those out. They could not be comfortable wet. He slid a towel under his hair and put his clothes back on and was instantly glad he did because there was a knock at the door. He jumped and then pulled the covers up over Aku.

“Aku? Jack??”

Jack hurried over and opened the door.

“Are you guys okay?!” She asked, peering into the room for Aku. Jack wasn’t sure what was happening.

“I heard him screaming?” She said to Jack and he went pale, turning to Aku.

“fell...” Aku muttered, squinting as he came too.

“What?”

“I fell, in the shower,” Aku said, looking at her and sliding his hands out from under the covers.

“Oh no,” Ana said sadly, hurrying over before Jack could stop her. Jack swallowed,

“Nothing you could do about this?” Aku asked, holding his hands out, palms up and Jack saw that they were bleeding. He rushed to Ana’s side.

“I-.. I dunno, I want to! How do I do it?”

Aku sighed, “I am not sure. We must find a way for you to learn more about your powers,”

“I’m sorry,” she said sadly,

“Mmm, No, do not feel sorry for me. Go back to sleep, little queen, I am sorry I woke you.”

She looked up at Jack.

“You know to do bandages way more than I do,”

“I’ve got it,” Jack told her, nodding and she nodded back.

“Goodnight, sleep good guys,” she said and closed the door on her way out.

Jack sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. Aku laughed lightly.

“How!?” Jack asked, pointing to his hands.

Aku blushed slightly, averting his eyes. Jack stared, torn between feeling angry and charmed by how weirdly adorable that expression was.

“You will not believe me if I tell you I did not notice,”

“How could you not notice?”

Aku cringed and Jack sighed getting up to get more bandages.

“I-I was distracted, I forgot about the burns,” he said, and Jack looked him up and down like he was hiding the truth under the sheets.

“Give me your hands, right hand first,”

“Yes, _sir_ ,” Aku said smirking and Jack huffed.

He cleaned the injury gently and paused when he felt it, a buzzing, just beneath the white and red burn. Jack looked up at Aku who was clenching his teeth as Jack cleaned it.

“What is this?” He asked

“Hmm?”

“I can feel it... under your hand..”

“Pain?” he asked tiredly.

“Okay, we will talk about tomorrow. I’ll get different sheets,”

“Gods no, do that tomorrow as well,” Aku growled and then looked sideways at Jack.

“What?”

“What about you?” Aku demanded suddenly and Jack blinked.

“‘What about me’ what?”

“You didn’t get anything in that exchange,” he said,

Jack blushed, “Oh. well... it is fine,”

Aku grumbled, “Jack,”

“You said you wanted to feel better. Do you?”

Aku growled, “yes, except for my hand, but I was not picturing this as being quite so _selfless_ on your end,”

Jack blushed and smiled up at him, “next time?”

“Are you sure?”

“Aku, you are barely keeping your eyes open. I can wait.”

Aku shrugged in surrender, reaching out for him. Jack felt his face go red again, shedding his gi to lay beside him. He wondered how quickly Aku would fall asleep, but before he could finish the thought, he’d fallen asleep too.


	23. Halloween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halloween! I'm sorry this took so long <3   
> I think this will be longer than the 30 chapters. I hope that's cool with you guys. <3 
> 
> ENJOY mostly cuteness !

Aku yawned, stretching himself out over the bed. It was cool on the sheets and the air in the room was cold. He ran his hands over the sheets beside him and found himself to be Jack-less. He opened his eyes and glared at the empty space. How Jack had climbed _over_ him to get out without waking him up he wasn’t sure. He yawned again, sliding off the bed and onto his knees on the floor. He didn’t feel like trying to stand, or feeling disgusting, so he dragged himself over to the dresser, where, thankfully, there were clean clothes.

His messy hair fell into his eyes and he shook it out of his face with annoyance. He’d slept on it wet so now it probably looked crazier than usual. He could deal with that later though. So he pulled on the clean clothes with relief, ignoring the sharp stabbing pains from the cross crossing lines all over him, and then grimaced at the black socks. Should he even put them on? His feet were cold... but then things would be touching his burns. He twisted his legs around to see if he could see them, and yes, he definitely could. Though Ana’s healing had definitely lessened their severity, he was still looking at two matching, black circular wounds on the front pads of each foot. Aku threw himself on his back on the floor, _fuck it_ , he could just lay here forever.

Jack opened the door suddenly. Aku blinked, he hadn’t heard him coming down.

“Are you alright? You were making a... a weird noise,”

Well, at least that explained why he hadn’t noticed him coming down.

“Aku?”

“What? Ah, yes, I... I am... great,” he finished lamely, not even attempting to move. Jack sighed and knelt beside him, putting his hand on his forehead.

“Hmm?” Aku sighed.

“You do not feel feverish. It is just your burns?”

“Yes,” he said in an irritably strained voice, “It is _just_ my burns,”

“Why don’t you let me get you bandaged up? Then perhaps you could come upstairs. Ana has a surprise for you,”

“Is it a pumpkin?” he asked, smiling a little.

“Yees,” Jack said amused, “But it is special.”

He got up to get the supplies and hurried back to where Aku was still laying.

“Why do you always move when I am not here to help you?”

“Why were you not there to help me?” He teased back and Jack groaned, rolling his eyes and helped him sit up so he could lean back against the dresser.

“ _Oh_ , I forgot about your hand,” Jack said in a horrified whisper.

Aku grimaced.

“Let me see it,”

“Must you?” he complained, eyeing his hand disdainfully.

“Aku.”

He rolled his head back, sighing, and held out his right hand. Jack very gently coaxed him into uncurling his fingers, frowning deeply, his brows furrowed.

“This looks extremely painful,”

“Really?” Aku asked in a high voice, “What a clever deduction!”

Jack sighed, “Hold on,” he said sternly, taking an ointment out of the medical supply box. Jack applied the cool gel gingerly, watching Aku’s whole body tense, eyes watering as he struggled not to move. Jack wrapped it securely.

“I- I think we need to get the doctor to look over that one I—”

“Not right now,” Aku moaned in frustration, “Gods, _why_ ,”

“Okay, Okay, later today then. The worst one is over,” he said, turning Aku’s head to the side to check on another burn. Aku was quickly gauzed over once more, and although Jack was very gentle, it still hurt. His feet were barely a twinge though, in comparison with how much his hand ached. Jack held out a small bottle.

“What?”

“It is pain medication, Ana said it is, um, OTC?”

Aku laughed softly, “Over the counter, basically means it will not make me high,”

Jack smiled, “Good.” He announced, giving him three small pills with a bottle of water.

Jack sat down beside him and held out a brush, smiling softly, “Do.. ah.. can I help you with that as well?”

Aku smiled a little. Feeling sympathetic since he was intimately familiar with the pained desire to play with Jacks hair, he nodded. Jack grinned. It took Jack a few minutes to undo all the angry knots that had grown since yesterday, perhaps before that, since he last time he really remembered combing his hair was before the club. Jack sighed softly and Aku snickered.

“What?”

“It is such an aggravation, is it not? Though maybe you do not know. Since your hair is very smooth,”

“I like it, um, your hair.” he said with an embarrassed laugh, “It is... wild right now, but even as a comb it, it reminds me of you,”

“What does _that_ mean?”

“Your hair is darker than my hair, and I had thought my hair was very dark. It is fitting. The mess reminds me, of, ah, fire almost. Black fire, and when it is finished being brushed, I assume it will go back to reminding me of your horns,”

Aku scoffed in amusement and smiled at Jack, letting the compliment sink in. Jack finished brushing it, and finger combed it out of his face.

“Yes, perfect. You look just like _you_ ,” Jack smiled.

Aku managed to force himself through the act of putting on socks and then Jack brought him a scarf, which he tied very carefully around his neck. Aku laughed, even more surprised when Jack also brought him his black leather coat.

“Uh,” Jack mumbled, looking at the dresser, “Where did this come from?”

“Mmm?” He hummed confusedly, sounding half asleep.

“This,” he said, holding up a black and red wrist watch.

“Oh, it came with my boots and this coat,”

Jack hummed, Jack stared at the watch on the dresser. He wasn’t sure anymore when it had appeared. Probably right before they went to the club. Maybe Ana had given it to him? He couldn’t remember.

Jack shrugged, “I could not remember when you had gotten it, and I usually try to keep better track of you than that,”

Aku snickered, “Mmm, well that was a long couple of days.”

Jack nodded, feeling tired just thinking about it.

He helped Aku to his feet, and when Aku still could not stand to stand on them, he picked him up again. Aku sighed.

“You cannot miss this,”

“What? The pumpkin?” He asked as Jack excitedly carried him up the steps and into the living room. He didn’t set him down there though.

“You’re awake!” Ana cried joyfully, running into the room, armed with more tea, “Guess what?”

“Pumpkins?” He guessed, accepting the tea,

“Yes!” She agreed, giggling, “Come and see,”

Jack carried him outside and set him down on a pile of blankets in the front yard, beside several small plastic boxes. The entire house was lit with purple, orange, and green lights, covered in webs, ghosts, pumpkins and a whole array of Halloween themed ghoulies.

Ana hopped over to the closest pumpkin and spun it around. Jack was quick to sit beside Aku to watch his expression.

“Tada!!” She exclaimed. Aku tilted his head back, eyes going wide, staring at his likeness as it stared back at him, horns, fangs and all.

“Ah…” he blinked in quick succession, “It-It is _me_.”

Ana laughed, “Yes! Do you like it??” she asked hopefully, clapping her hands together.

He beamed at her. She screeched for joy, laughing excitedly. She tossed herself onto the blanket beside him and gave him a gentle hug. He raised an eyebrow, narrowing his eyes, but she didn’t seem to care.

“I hope it helps you feel better,” she said, flopping back on the blanket, her puffy red scarf covering her face for her moment before she shoved it back off. Aku jerked at the feeling of Jack’s lips on his cheek, he turned his head quickly, but Jack was already leaning back on his arms, staring at the jack-o-lantern as if he hadn’t just done that. Even Ana hadn’t noticed.

“I- am surprised-impressed… Ah, it is good. Not as good as the original, but it is very good.”

Ana giggled, “Jack said we should try to make the eyebrows have real flames, but I feel like I’ll just set the whole pumpkin on fire.”

Jack laughed.

Aku smiled at them, a little lost in his head. He did not think he’d ever been part of a group like this. Not one where… they expected him to… Well, expected was not quite right. They thought of him as one of their friends and not a constant powerful threat. _It was weird_.

“Are you okay?” Ana asked.

Aku quickly nodded, sipping the tea.

“Don’t worry, we have more pumpkins, you definitely have to carve one yourself. I want to see what you do!”

“You are allowing him to have a knife?” Jack asked in a sarcastic voice.

Ana laughed and Aku squinted.

Yanking the lid off of one of the plastic boxes, Ana placed towels, gloves, candles, and a set of orange and black knives down in front of them.

“Okay, so you’ve done this before right?”

“No,” they said in unison. Jack looked mildly surprised.

Aku shrugged.

“Seriously? I thought you loved Halloween?”

“I do,” Aku said, “I… Just…”

“Nobody’s ever asked you to carve one?” She correctly guessed.

He grimaced awkwardly.

“Oh well, that’s because they aren’t as _fun_ as I am.” she told him, nodding importantly.

Jack and Aku burst into laughter.

“Okaaayyy, so first thing, you gotta gut the pumpkin. So first you stab it!” She made a motion like she was murdering the poor innocent gourd in front of her, “Then you have to cut around the stem. Make sure you make the hole in the top a weird shape so you can put it back on right. Then you gotta pull all the sticky seeds out! And toss them into this bucket,” she put the other plastic box in front of them, “Or my front yard will be a pumpkin patch next year. After that, you can draw a face on your pumpkin or like, anything you want really. Cut out the face and then we’ll put the candles in. Okay?”

Jack nodded and Ana started bringing over their pumpkins.

“Are you planning on roaming about in the dark and begging strangers for candy?” Aku asked her.

“Mmm, no, not really. I love trick or treating but dunno if I’m even supposed to anymore. I might be too old.”

Jack frowned, “Is there a specified age limit?”

Ana laughed, “I don’t think, like... _technically_ , but usually only little kids do that stuff. I’m still goanna wear my costume though,”

“Will children come here to ask for candy?” Jack asked.

“Yeah! Of course,” Ana said smiling, “That’s why I have a huge bowl full of chocolate, didn’t you see it in the kitchen?”

“The um... bowl shaped like a pumpkin?”

“Yep,” she agreed grinning.

“You can go if you want,” Aku told her, frowning, “Do you not have friends?”

Jack choked and Ana laughed, turning to him and pretending to punch him in the shoulder.

“Wow, that’s so _frickin_ ’ rude,” she giggled, “Yes, Aku, I have friends. Real _cool_ friends! I just usually see them at school,”

“You’re supposed to be in school?” Aku asked amusedly.

Ana laughed, “No? I mean,... I guess I am now? I dunno,”

“Your Mother was teaching you?”

“Yep,” she agreed, “But sometimes I went to school anyways, it’s far away though. In the city, so I’d stay with one of my Mom’s friends in his apartment. It’s okay. I mostly just go because I want to see my friends,”

Jack frowned thoughtfully. He was taking note of this information, but he didn’t want to ruin the mood, so he tucked it away for later.

“You chose to spend your favorite holiday with us?” Aku asked. Jack looked over at Ana. She was still smiling.

“Yeah,” she agreed, “I thought about inviting them but... um, well... Jack,” she motioned vaguely at him.

“Wha- _me_? Why would I stop you from doing that?” He asked, baffled.

“No, it’s not that you wouldn’t let me, it’s that I don’t want them to embarrass me.”

Aku burst into laughter and Ana joined in, like they were sharing some inside joke. Jack frowned.

“What?” She asked him

Aku tugged at Jacks sleeve, “You are very famous,”

Jack blinked, going red, “ah... sss-some people know of me. But.. why does that matter?”

“I don’t want them to embarrass me,” she said again. Jack stared. She stared back, confused by his confusion.

Aku hummed, “Her friends would like to meet you, Jack,” he said smirking, “Hero of the people, these are your people,”

Jack was surprised by three separate things: The first being that anyone would want to go out of their way to meet him, second being that Ana was worried about what _he_ thought of her friends, and last... that there was a distinct lack of bitterness in Aku’s voice when he told Jack. In fact, he sounded almost... proud?

Jack blushed, smiling a little, “I, ah, I do not know about all that, but I would be happy to meet your friends.”

Ana munched her popcorn incredulously, shaking her head.

“They are mostly a bunch of stupid boys. But my best friend wouldn’t be so bad. The other problem is _you_ ,” she said, pointing at Aku.

He did not look remotely repentant.

“They do not like Aku?” Jack asked curiously.

“No, it’s not that actually,” she rolled her eyes, chewing her cheek, “We hear about, ‘Lord and Master Aku’, a lot in our classes. They’d probably be scared of him, if anything, if they even figured it out, which I really doubt. Why would anyone think that?” She shrugged, “But I don’t want them to make you angry,” she said, giving him a stern look, “Id rather keep my friends in an un-lasered state.”

Aku scoffed, “I am not going to murder your friends, Little Queen,”

She frowned sadly.

“What??” He asked, raising an eyebrow, “Surely you do not want me too—“

“No,” she shook her head, “I dunno what I did though,”

“Hmm?”

“How come you keep calling me that?”

“Calling you... what?”

She scoffed, “‘Little Queen’, you keep saying. Am I annoying you that bad?”

Aku balked straightening himself and squinting, “What does that have to do with annoying?” He demanded.

She gawked back at him, “That’s what it means right? It means I’m bothering you?”

Aku raised both eyebrows and turned his head, blinking slowly, “Oh, no no no,” he mumbled, sounding stunned, “I mean it _literally_ ,”

Jack made a confused noise and Ana tilted her head.

“Queen of what? I’m not a queen, I’m not even a princess. I’m a merchants daughter,”

Aku scoffed, looking offended, and Ana stared, totally lost. Jack moved a little to watch the back and forth more closely. He was pretty sure he’d caught up now, but just to be sure, he listened carefully.

“The titles of your origins do not matter to me. You will never be a princess unless you marry into royalty, but you are a Queen, _now_ ,”

Aku looked genuinely angry with her and she was backing away nervously.

Jack felt his heart burning as the realization came to him. Kindness was so... angry looking on Aku. That should not have surprised him.

“But...I don’t get it,” she said sadly, “Why are you mad at me?”

“I am not-ah,” he turned himself towards her fully, “I do not often meet humans like you, girl,”

Jack smiled and shook his head.

“You are not afraid, of _me_ , of pain, discomfort, or even hard work. You are smart, creative, and I _like_ you. To me, you are _literally_ a Queen.”

There was a long silence as she stared up at him.

“And, Trust me, girl, you would _know_ if you were annoying me.”

Jack laughed softly.

Ana smiled and nodded, elegantly excepting the odd compliment.

“Thank you,”

Aku shrugged.

“Well… OKay then!” she said standing up.

“Where are you going?” Jack said confused,

“Oh, don’t worry, I’ll be right back!” she said, smiling excitedly and running back into the house. After a moment she peered out the door. “Go on! Start! I’ll be back, okay?”

“What is she doing?” Jack said confusedly.

Aku shrugged, “Whatever she damn well pleases,” he guessed, raising his eyebrows and taking another sip of tea. “She needs a wheel,”

“What?”

“A wheel, to run in, like a hamster, she could power half her town with all the energy she has.”

Jack laughed.

“What faces should we put on the pumpkins?”

Aku smiled, “ _You_.”

“My face?”

Aku snickered, “If you want too, that would be a good match to that one,” he said pointing to his own jack-o-lantern face leering at them, “But I meant, _you_ will be carving them.” He held out his hand and Jack nodded sympathetically.

“Well, I mean, is it extremely painful to spread your fingers? Do you think you could hold a marker?”

Aku shrugged, “It hurts to move my hand,”

Jack pulled a marker out of the plastic box that was not for pumpkin guts and held it out. Aku took it and spun it around in his fingers.

“Not terribly bad, since it is mostly my palm,”

Jack smiled, “You can draw the faces then?”

Aku shrugged and motioned for Jack to bring the pumpkins over. After inspecting the jack-o-lantern Ana had already finished, Jack soon began the arduous and sticky process of pulling the seeds out the pumpkins.

“This is surprisingly difficult,” he told Aku, trying to scrape the inside clean.

Aku laughed, “Is it?”

Jack sighed, turning to glare at him when he was distracted by the drawings on the pumpkins. He felt his mouth snap shut at the _beautiful_ sketch he’d done of Jack and what he was pretty sure was Ana but was not quite finished.

“You!?” Jack yelped in surprise, making Aku jump.

“What!?”

Jack shook his head and motioned to the drawing, “That? That…”

“What are you screaming about? It is too small to carve I think. I will redraw it.”

“No!”

Aku paused to give Jack a skeptical look.

“I…I did not know you could draw.”

“What?”

“You can _draw_ ,” he said enviously.

Aku looked at the pumpkin and back at Jack, furrowing his brows, “Yes… I can?”

Jack sighed, glaring at it.

“Do you dislike it? I will do it again…” he tried again, blinking confusedly.

“No. It is very good.” he said, frowning.

“Then what is wrong?”

“I am sorry,…” Jack muttered, clearing his throat, “I am jealous.”

Aku balked.

“Why is that surprising?”

“Of all the _things_! To be envious of me, _Aku_ , for being able to do… It is _drawing_!?”

Jack pouted, annoyed, “Yes!”

Aku scoffed, sounding completely offended, “Then I shall teach you!” he declared, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

Jack blushed, “It is very small. But do you have to do it again ? I like it.”

Aku tilted his head and smiled at him, “You have to carve it remember?”

Jack sighed, “I know.”

Aku shrugged and continued drawing Ana. The sky began to ominously grey, but if rain was coming, it was a few hours away, so they ignored it for now.

Ana returned a little while later than she’d meant too, but it had taken her a while since she’d switched costumes. She _was_ going to be a faerie, as that was her favorite thing to dress up as. Who doesn’t want huge glittery butterfly wings? But then...

She pushed the front door open and did her best to stroll regally towards them. Jack was trying to sneakily flick a seed at Aku when he made a small gasp, knocking Jack over to get a better view.

“Ow! What is—“

Ana beamed, hopping the last few steps over, unable to hold in the excitement, and did one flouncy twirl.

“Excellent!” Aku announced, nearly knocking Jack back over as he threw out his arms in approval.

Jack squinted at him and then smiled at Ana. Her fluffy red dress complete with a tiara was, as Aku had already said, Excellent.

“Thank you!!” She said gleefully, “I have costumes for you guys too,”

“What?” Aku asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

Jack blinked.

“You have toooo,” she told Aku, coming closer and putting her hands in her pocket, pulling out a sparkling red headband topped with little devil horns.

“Oh I see,” Aku said, running his fingers over his beard,

“Please? Pleassseee?” She begged, hopping up and down.

He nodded and she jumped for joy, pushing his hair back to slide on the headband.

Jack scoffed and Aku gave him a look of consideration that he usually reserved for strangers.

“I have one for you too, Jack,” she told him.

He looked nervous. She pulled from the same pocket, a black and grey beanie with long pointy black ears. He didn’t stop her from putting on his head, even though he hadn’t figured out what it was yet.

“Now you are a bat!” She told him, smiling, “Happy Halloween!”

“Happy Halloween,” he agreed, laughing, “Oh! hold on, let me get snacks, sorry,” she said, disappearing again.

Jack looked at Aku and smile ,“You are not going to take that off are you?”

“Noooo,” Aku said smirking, “This is how I shall look from now on,”

“With... glittery red horns? Will that not clash with your _real_ ones?”

“I’ll burn that bridge when I get to it,” he announced, and Jack laughed.

The sky continued its persistent threat of rain but they carried on, Jack tried his best to carve the pumpkins in the shapes that Aku had sketched. While he was not paying attention, Aku erased the second sketch and drew a regular pumpkin face. Gods he was amazed Jack hadn’t already stabbed him just because of the _look_ on his face.

Soon all the pumpkins were carved, the popcorn was gone, and it finally began to rain. Night seemed to come early. Because the houses out here were so spread apart, children went on a hay ride to go trick or treating and the first little trick or treaters stopped outside and cheered when Ana greeted them with candy. Aku had fallen asleep on the blankets, marker still open in his hand, and Jack brought him back inside so he wouldn’t get soaked. He laid him down on the couch. They closed the windows against the cold winds, and Ana watched as the trick or treaters pulled out their umbrellas.

“To much for him?” Ana asked when she saw that Aku hadn’t woken up when Jack had moved him.

Jack shrugged and smiled, “I suppose so,” he had a notion there was another reason he was so tired, but he wasn’t about to speak it out loud.

After about an hour of the door opening and closing, and Ana spinning outside despite the rain, to give out candy, everyone seemed to have moved on, or gone inside, and it grew quiet.

“I’m goanna watch a horror movie. Do you wanna see it too?” Ana asked, tossing her little tiara on the coffee table.

The look on Jack’s face made her laugh.

“No problem, you can hang out with your _boyfriend_ ,” she teased smiling.

Jack didn’t even try to fight her about it. He just squinted.

She giggled as she ran down the hall past her spiderwebs and orange paper garland.

Jack sat next Aku on the couch, beside his legs and tapped hm gently. He blinked at him blearily.

“Are you alright? Do you want more pain medication?”

Aku raised his eyebrows, yawning. Jack’s eyes fixed on his teeth, the little points at his canines that should have been curved outwards… for some reason, struck him as extremely cute. He shook his head.

“Maybe,” he mumbled at Jack, flexing his right hand and immediately groaning.

“That-”

“I know, I know,” he groaned, “Fine. Let’s get it over with,”

Jack smiled sadly, “Should we go back downstairs? Then you can sleep in the actual bed.”

Aku rolled his eyes and nodded, letting Jack pick him up again. He was getting really tired of that, but Jack’s kind smile and the smell of his hair made it… a little less terrible.

“Why can I not call the doctor?”

“The doctor can not do anything,” Aku mumbled, watching Jack look over the injury with that horrified and pitiful expression that Aku loathed.

“Why?”

Aku growled in frustration, “Because.”

Jack huffed. After a pause he pushed again, “Why?”

“It… it is lightening.”

Jack was quiet. His eyes going saucer wide. Aku grimaced at the look.

“Jack-”

“ _You have had Nebula’s lightening inside you this whole time_?” Jack hissed angrily, “And you never _thought_ to tell me?”

“Ah…”

“Aku!”

He sighed, “I do not know what to _do_ about it!” he growled, “It-Ah…” he frowned and looked away, “I do not know what to do about it.”

Jack glared, “I suppose I will redress it for now and we can talk more about it later.”

Aku gave him a pitiful look, before his eyes were drawn to a strange movement. The beads on Jack’s wrist were twitching independently of Jack own motions. Fear gripped him before he could put meaning to it.

“ _Wha_!?” was all Jack managed before his wrist was pulled with crushing force towards the injury he was trying to be delicate with.

Aku let out a silent scream of pain as red light burst to the surface of his skin and scattered like spiders all over the beads, jumping wildly from one to the next. Gods. Gods _No_. He pulled away but it just sent them both tumbling to the floor, still unable to separate the beads from his palm as red light crackled around the beads and then into Jack’s forearm.

Jack’s body could not process the pain. He simultaneously felt nothing and felt like he was melting. His body, without the permission of his mind, begged for it to stop. _Just stop_. Die if necessary if that would make it _stop_. He could not see or hear, he was trapped in a senseless void of agony.

It stopped and he stared at Aku, who was shaking, with his bloody right hand balled into a fist far away from Jack.

“Jack!” he said in a panic.

Jack tilted his head, he could not fathom anything but what had just happened. His body felt exhausted, as if he’d been suffering from tuberculosis for ten years and he’d just had a horrible coughing fit, except it hurt _everywhere_. His body could not take it. But all he could think was:

That was nothing compared with what had happened to Aku.

That. _Unimaginable_ agony, that gave voice to a scream that still haunted his nightmares and waking dreams. He’d been living with it in his palm this whole time, after Nebula had tortured him. Tears were streaming down his face, unbeknownst to him.

“Jack!? Jack?” Aku yelled, grabbing him with his left hand, “Are you okay!? Hello!? _Jack_!”

“There is more,” he whispered meekly, “Isn’t there?” He wondered why everything was so blurry.

“What!?”

“More lightening?”

“Do not worry about me,” Aku hissed, “Are you okay?”

Jack fell against him, “I am _so_ sorry,” he said and fainted.

Aku gasped in surprise, pressing his fingers to Jack’s neck. He was still breathing, his heart was still beating. He groaned, trying, as gently as he could, to lay him down on the floor. There was no way he could do more than that. He would just… stay here with him. Stay with him, on the floor, and make sure he kept on breathing.

When the Samurai woke up? He could give _him_ pain medication. He wasn’t sure Jack would allow it, but he was _well aware_ of how much Nebula’s lightning burned. Jack was shivering in his sleep, teeth rattling, andhis eyes still watering.

“Jack…” Aku laid down beside him, pulling him close, trying to end the shivers.

The beads on Jacks arm were all charged, glowing in the dark like little phosphorescent stars. He touched them with his left hand curiously and could feel the little buzz inside them, just as he could in his right hand.

Jack wasn’t bleeding, the burns were unsubstantial, and left very pale lines over his hand and up his arm. The pain had obviously exhausted him though, as he was now completely limp in Aku’s arms and breathing in slowly and deeply. He wanted to sleep too, but he was too afraid to leave Jack like this.

He waited. They sort of had matching tattoos now, in a way, didn't they? The idea made him laugh to himself. He waited. He waited for a long time. The sun was long gone and the storm raged on. He waited.

Lightning flashed overhead and the sound of cracking thunder instantly followed. Jack gasped, jumping up in a fright, looking all around the room.

“It is okay,” Aku said softly, “It is just a regular storm, Jack,”

Jack squinted down at him, trying to see him in the dark, but mostly he just saw the soft glow of green eyes watching him. So... Nebula was not here.

Jacks eyes trailed to the window and lightning flashed. White blue. Natural. He sighed tiredly.

“Forgive me,” Jack said, “I did not mean to fall asleep.”

Aku scoffed, “Are you okay?”

Jack nodded, “Yes, I-I think so. What about you?”

Jack moved to push his hair out of his face when his eyes caught the colorful glow of the beads. He gawked.

“They are all charged now,” Aku told him, before he could start to panic again.

Jack frowned, everything flooded back to him quite quickly then.

“You still have more of Nebula’s lightning in your hand!?” he yelped.

“Yes, ...unfortunately,” Aku sighed,

“It is still a large amount ? Or ... high.. voltage?”

Aku sat up slowly, stretching himself out, “I am not sure. Why?”

Lightning from outside lit up the room for a blinding millisecond.

“I wish to help you... but…” Jack’s eyes watched the sky outside. “Could you release it? outside? Is it different from that lightning, for example?”

Aku looked from him to the window.

_Was_ it that different? Really? From regular lightening? The origins were quite different of course, as natural lightening was created by the overflow of static charge between ice crystals and hot water droplets chafing one another as they rushed to organize themselves in their temperature hierarchy. Magic lightening, or really just, electrical currents born of magic, differed mainly in the fact that they did not have to discharge energy if it was contained, as it was currently, inside his palm or in the beads. If he released the current into the ongoing storm he might alter the path or the severity of the storm... but what difference did that make?

He might... blow the power in the house. Or he might cause wave disturbance in local radio towers. These were Temporary problems, and easy enough to fix

The thing that disturbed him most was the idea that he might somehow hurt one of the members of his little household.

“Aku?”

“What? Oh,” he swallowed, “I am thinking,”

Jack nodded patently, “You think it is too dangerous?”

Aku peered at him curiously, “Do you trust my opinion so much as to base this entire decision on it?”

Jack hummed and then nodded, “Unless you think we need more information,”

Aku smiled, glancing out the window, trying to get his train of thought back on track.

“I think, yes,” Aku nodded after another short paused, “We should try it. Leaving it where it is, will only result in further damage or increased delays in my recovery. It is possible that it will do damage... I think it is worth it in the long run.”

Jack nodded slowly, looking nervous, “This could hurt you quite badly,”

Aku shrugged, “I do not _think_ so,” he admitted, “It did not hurt so much when _you_ moved it,”

Jack swallowed, “Really?”

“I do not think it did. Although, I was distracted,”

“Distracted?”

“I do not like... well... The idea of you dying in general has become _unpleasant_ as of late,”

Jack snorted, “Thank you,”

“...Okay, take me upstairs.”

He grimaced and nodded, carrying him back up the steps. Jack helped Aku out the door and they stared at the pouring rain.

“Stay in here,”

“But...”

Aku gave him a look and Jack nodded sadly. Neither of them wanted to be electrocuted anymore.

Aku limped out into the rain slowly, the sting in his feet almost enough to distract him from the pain in his right hand. He stopped in the middle of the paved road, because he hoped that this was enough distance from the house to not burn it down, and far enough away from the trees to not set them on fire.

Jack anxiously watched from the doorway.

It took Aku a long moment to convince himself to do this. Rain pounded through his clothes, soaked into his socks and distantly.. he saw Ana’s Halloween lights flashing happily around the windows.

He let out a shaky sigh, turning away from the house so he did not have to look at Jack as he held up his right hand and slowly uncurled his fingers.

Nothing happened at first, besides the horrible sting of cold water smashing into his burns.

_Come on_ , he growled to himself, _leave me you unwanted waste_! Red light crackled around his fingertips and he grimaced, watching red light rise to the surface of his skin like boiling water bubbling.

Jack grimaced, the light was growing stronger around his arm.

Aku growled, baring his teeth and commanding with all his might.

_LEAVE. ME._

Lightning shot through his fingers and into the grey clouds above, making a noise like a million violin strings snapping. Thunder rumbled in response and white lightning descended to the red, pulling it up and outwards into the storm and sent it swimming wildly in all directions, spreading through the clouds. Jack gasped at the brightness, at the sheer amount of raw lit power.

Aku’s hand burst into red fire and then flickered out. Jack made to run but something inside him told him to stop. Just a moment ...

Aku knelt down slowly, shaking in the cold water, and sparks flew from him one last time, arching around him like a plasma ball, smashing into the ground, slicing through some tall foliage, and exploding one of the pumpkins.

Jack ran out and stopped just ten feet from him. He was literally smoking, on his hands and knees in the rain, gasping.

Aku turned slowly to Jack and smiled, letting out a relieved cackle that broke down into maniacal laughter. An oddly familiar song.

Jack came forward and knelt beside him, waiting for him to calm.

“Are you okay?”

“No,” he said, and pointed, “Look,”

Jack turned to see the pumpkins, one of them, the one with a regular face, melted into the ground and the other- the one of Aku’s face, on fire from within. Orange fire crackling out of the jack o lanterns eyebrows. Aku burst into laughter once more and Jack couldn’t help but laugh too.

“Happy Halloween,” Aku said tiredly, “Now take me back downstairs so I can sleep for the next few days,” he leaned against Jack.

“Of course, my friend,”


	24. Loosing Oneself in the Maze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aku doesn't feel well and so Jack decides to make him feel better. ;)   
> also like  
> SO MUCH  
> mush <3

“My shoes _what_?”

“They melted,” Jack said.

“The bottoms of them melted. Did you know that sometimes when you get hit by lightning that your clothes _explode??”_ Ana announced looking up from her tablet.

Aku raised an eyebrow at her, “I do _now_?”

“Anyway, they are outside on the porch but they have no soles, ehehe, soles.”

Jack shrugged at Aku’s confused expression. Ana’s tablet was making small explosion noises as she tapped away.

Aku was more curious about the shoes though, so he limped outside and inspected the damage. They did look awful. Jack and Ana followed and Aku snickered at them.

“Neither of your have anything _better_ to do besides watch me?”

“Nope,” Ana said and smirked, “You’re pretty weird, it’s more fun to watch than tv, or my video game.”

Jack laughed.

“The shoes look like how I _feel_ ,” Aku said, tossing them into the bin.

“They’re just shoes, though,” Ana said, “You can get more red shoes,”

Aku hummed, “Yes, I probably will,”

Jack smiled. He remembered going to get them, and feeling guilty about wanting to do something nice for his demon. But at the moment that seemed like just a funny thought. Aku stretched in the sun, groaning as his whole body tried to fight it. Jack also noticed, to his dismay, that he was a lot thinner than he had been.

“Hey, Jack?”

Jack smiled at Ana, “yes?”

“I want to go see one of my friends today, is that okay?”

Aku laughed, “Of course it is, Little Queen. It is _your_ house, remember?”

Jack rolled his eyes, “Yes, thank you for telling me so I did not _worry_.”

“Cool, it’s a long way so I probably won’t be back for like two nights, probably. _Do not burn my house down_!” She said pointing at Aku. He snickered. She grinned at them both and went back inside to get her bag.

Jack’s gaze slowly moved back to Aku. He’d been very tired all morning. Mute in comparison with his usual theatrics, he even seemed to be trying less and less to follow Jack. At first he wondered if he should be relieved by that. Wasn’t it healthier for him to not follow him around? Yesterday he finally admitted to himself that he _really_ hated it.

After that last very _bold_ conversation about wanting Jack to be with him… forever…and then Jack making him _scream_ in the shower… His face lit up every time he thought about it. He had hoped that Aku would feel better. Mentally, anyway. Yet he seemed worse, morose even. Aku’s mood could have just been due to their crazy Halloween adventure, but he was not positive. Especially since Aku said that his hand felt better now. Jack wanted him back, theatrics and all, watching him suffer was horrible.

Aku leaned against the wall, staring longingly at the trees. An idea came to Jack and he smiled, stepping closer.

“You must be tired of the basement,” he said casually.

Aku immediately gave him a suspicious look. Jack laughed, stepping closer.

“Do you want to go out into the maze? Ana told me where the _real_ one is.To find the middle?”

Aku tilted his head, “I can hardly walk ten feet,”

Jack nodded, “I know,” He stepped closer one more time, right into Aku’s space. Aku blushed slightly, rolling his head back and groaning in frustration. “Fine,” he said flatly and Jack grinned.

Ana hopped out of her room, taking her cellphone out of her pocket, and quickly typing one handed.

“Mkay, I’m goanna head out.”

“Have fun,”

Ana smiled at him and shrugged, “We’ll see. I bet his Halloween decorations weren’t as good as mine?”

“His?” Aku said sounding surprised.

Ana rolled her eyes at him, “Yes, _he_ is my friend. His name is James.”

Aku gave her a look and she laughed, “Yeah, thank’s don’t worry about me, _Dad,_ ” she chided, walking around him down the porch steps.

“Bye!” She called to Jack who waved happily.

Aku met her eyes and he mouthed, ‘watching you’, and then silently punched his flat palm with his other hand, like he was ready to come after this guy. She snickered and rolled her eyes, running off. Jack turned to look at Aku, who gave him an innocent face. Jack did not believe him but he just shook his head, taking him by the arm to go inside and grab some things.

“Just like old times,” Jack snarked at Aku as he gingerly put on his black boots. Jack pulled the shoulder strap of a bag over his arm.

“What is? Being in _pain_?”

“No,” Jack sighed, “Just the two of us traveling. Carrying you while you are extremely _angry_ at me for it,”

Aku grimaced, “I am… not angry,”

“Hmm, then what are you?”

Aku shrugged noncommittally. Jack put his hand on Aku’s shoulder and he looked up.

“What happened to wanting to be carried like an, ah… what did you say?”

“Egyptian princess,”

“Yes,” Jack smiled,

Aku smiled weakly back at him, managing to get his boots on all the way and climbing painfully to his feet. He was holding something back. Jack knew he would not get whatever it was out of him at this rate. He managed to coax him into climbing on Jack’s back, with his legs wrapped around his middle, and his arms around his shoulders. Jack felt quite warm. He could also feel how much lighter he had become.

He walked out into the wild flowers and continued toward the maze.

“I think it is weird that you like to carry me around,” Aku mumbled.

Jack smiled, “Why is that?”

“Is it not weird?”

Jack looked at him bemused, “You seemed to like it when you could pick _me_ up,”

Aku hummed in thought. “Yes, I did,” he agreed, sounding confused. “That is weird too,”

Jack laughed, “Is it?”

“What is so funny?”

Jack blushed, “Nothing, nothing. Which way?” He paused at the entrance of the tall plants. They weren’t exactly a hedge. Thick wildflowers condensed into walls.

“Left,” Aku instructed and Jack walked on, “left again,” Aku said as they reached a fork, “right,… forward…"

Aku lead him through without obstacle. Jack stepped carefully around a patch of dandelions and chuckled when he realized they were already so close to the middle.

“You already knew the maze?” Jack asked him curiously.

“No, I am following the directions of the sun,”

Jack nodded, “That takes a lot of time out of the walk,”

“Do not _sulk_ about it,” Aku chided but Jack snickered right back at him.

“I am not. Once we are in the middle you have no way of escaping me,”

Aku tensed his arms around Jack’s shoulders, “I could not have ‘escaped you’ at the house,”

“True, but I think you needed to _not_ be in the house,”

“Right,”

“Good,”

“No, I mean go right,” Aku said smirking.

Jack nodded and raised his eyebrows when they stepped into the center. The flowers and vines were so thick around the paths that he could not see the willow tree from the outside. He brought Aku to the middle before letting him down. Aku stood for a little while, gazing about all the flowers in silence. Jack smiled softly, taking a blanket from the bag and throwing it onto the ground.

Aku looked back at him, “Was this your plot all long?”

Jack nodded, laughing, “Yes, my _evil plan_ to help you get outside and enjoy yourself,”

“Hmm,” He nodded and slowly let himself down, falling into the blanket.

Jack had _other_ intentions but he was not sure how to go about them. If nothing happened then that was fine too, but he knew the maze was off limits right now… Ana had mentioned to it a while back, that since it was getting cold it was blocked off. She would let _him_ in though. Nobody would find them out here, they were completely alone.

Jack sat behind him and pushed Aku’s hair gently over to the side, watching him relax into the touch. His eyes traced all the lines over his skin before he pressed his palm into the muscles there.

“Jack,”

Jack paused, “am I hurting you?”

“No,”

Jack leaned his head against Aku’s shoulder and sighed in frustration.

“What?”

“You will not tell me what is bothering you, will you?”

“I am…in pain,”

“Yes, but that is not what is bothering you.”

Aku shrugged, turning himself so that Jack had to sit upright again. Jack smiled when he managed to sit facing him. He still looked… diminished.

“Is it about Nebula?” he tried, raising his eyebrows.

Aku looked away, into the flowers, resting his right hand on his knee, “Sure,”

Jack sighed, “You are frustrated that we lost that fight?”

“ _We_ did not loose that fight, _I_ did.”

“If I had been able to control my emotions, you might have been able to use your powers the entire time.”

Aku glared at him, “You think that it is your fault then?”

“I… feel…”

Aku growled, “Nebula would have found a way to torture me no matter what form he found me in. You saw what he did to me before I was trapped in this body!”

“You feel defeated?”

Aku growled and automatically said, “No.”

“Good,” Jack said, “I know you have won many difficult battles,” he added, eyeing Aku’s expression. He smiled a little when Aku’s grimace faded at the compliment. “You are still a very powerful demon,” he said, “You are just trapped at the moment. This is not forever.”

Aku seemed to shrink away at that one and Jack hummed.

“Tell me of one of your victories,”

Aku looked at him, confused.

“What? Why?”

“I want to hear it,” Jack said, “Are you going to deflect the opportunity to brag about yourself, demon?” he added smirking.

Aku sighed, “…No.”

“So?” Jack asked, gathering himself up to listen.

Aku hummed thoughtfully, reviewing stories in his head. What would Jack actually _like_ to hear? He could fix whatever ones he had which ended badly, or which would offend him… But then one occurred to him and he sat up a bit straighter. Jack smiled.

“Mmm, this was before you came to the future,” He started, “Of when another warrior challenges me to battle. Openly. Old fashioned,” he laughed, “Like a duel,”

Jack sat up and put his hands in his lap. Aku smiled, an audience _was_ his favorite type of captive.

“Who?”

“A foolish human who called himself, ‘Hyperion’. At an old castle ballroom, where the walls had crumbled down, making it look… stadium like.”

Jack blinked, “Why would he think that was a good idea?”

Aku leaned back and shrugged, “Ahhh it’s beyond me why most people would try to fight me,”

Jack smiled, shaking his head.

“Infuriated by the very idea, I appeared in the circle! He was shocked.” Aku drew a circle in the air with his fingers and pointed to the invisible opponent. Jack watched it like a tv screen.

“‘I am taking the the land!’, Hyperion shouted! As if the world could not already hear his high _whistling_ voice.”

Jack snorted and then covered his mouth with his sleeve.

“‘Of course, go ahead, mortal.’ Said I, ‘Defeat me _once_ in battle and you shall have all 200 acres.’”

Jack shook his head, “Acres? He was stealing peoples _land_?

Aku nodded.

“but the people who worked there...”

Aku put a finger to Jack’s lips and he stilled.

“Hyperion was a broad, stout man wearing armor that shifted the light whenever he moved. He carried with him a heavy sword, a horseback style sword, though he had no mount. So I shifted,” he said, spinning his hand through the circle to represent his dissension from a giant into, “a great centipede!”

“Oh no,” Jack shook his head in disgust. Aku laughed, “Yes! And reared back,” he moved his hand backwards and curled his fingers in like an angry cobra. Jack could see it so clearly. He felt sorry for this Hyperion. At least at the moment.

“And breathed fire down into the circle, pouring flames down into the bowl. Hyperion held up his sword to block the fire, but his sword was no magic steal! It burned orange and blackened.” Aku jerked forward suddenly, “He screamed in a fury!!”

Jack jumped, putting a hand over his heart.

“I did not expect him to call out and I realized, as arrows were already raining down upon me, that he had lured me here.”

“A trap for you?”

“Yes!” Aku agreed dramatically, leaning back as if still outraged by the very idea of it. “Now his sword may not have been magical, but the arrows were stolen from the monks temple. Each tip was purified and sharpened like a sushi knife,”

Jack's eyes were so round, completely enraptured. Aku grasped himself around the shoulders, glaring up at the trees, “Ahh! Each one burned through me and as they fell like rain I began to disintegrate into pieces. I rolled myself up,” Aku drew his knees into his chest, still baring his teeth at the trees, “And fell into the darkness!”

Jack let out an unconscious, disappointed sigh.

“Hyperion cheered, and his men came out from under the cover of the stone steps, cloaked in dusty grey hoods. And Oh! they celebrated. The families of farmers who lived on that land huddled together in terror,”

Aku put both hands palm up just beneath the circle and curled his fingers in from all sides. Jack leaned forward again.

“They really thought you were gone?”

“Foolish!” Aku announced, smiling devilishly as he caged his fingers around imagined Hyperion, “Hahahaha! FOOL!” Aku laughed maniacally, “I sent spikes from all directions, from every shadow underfoot and the old stone structure shook as I broke through the darkness. His men _screamed_ , most were out of arrows, and some fled. From where there was once only ruins and dust, I created an impenetrable forrest of spikes, trapping the fool in the center of the circle,” Aku closed his hands together in a sharp grab.

Jack flinched.

“Oh Mercy! Please !”

Jack scoffed, “He did _not_ ask you for mercy,”

Aku smirked, “Correct, Samurai. It was the farmers. ‘ _Please, Master Aku, you have defeated Hyperion and his men! Do not kill him in front of the chIIIllldrennn_ ,”

Jack gawked, now looking terrified. “What... what happened then?”

Aku chuckled darkly, but then opened his hands and held them outside the circle.

“ _What would you have me do, humans?_ I growled.”

“I’m sure you did,” Jack said smiling a little.

Aku laughed again, “Ohhh yes. It would have been so much easier to kill him,” he drew his fingers through his beard thoughtfully, “But the farmers _insisted_ that I stop, and promised me tribute in return for all I had done for them.”

Jack rolled his eyes, “Your ego is a monster of its very own,”

Aku shrugged, smiling, “I left him to his victims. I think they put him to work. Before that, however? I took his sword and his armor and.. for some unimaginable reason- he was angry? Can you imagine?” Said Aku, feigning innocent confusion and holding his arms out in a faux shrug.

Jack burst into laughter. Aku smiled fondly, settling himself just to watch the pleasure he’d brought to Jack.

Jack struggled to calm himself, “You know, Aku,” he said between fits of laughter, “You really are a masterful storyteller.”

Aku’s smile fell and his eyes grew wide, he made a horribly pained expression, and Jack stopped laughing, confused. He felt ice in his chest. Jack blinked and held out a hand.

“I am sorry, did I offend you?”

Suddenly he found himself locked in an awkward position between Aku’s arms, nearly being strangled, but not quite.

“A…Aku?” Jack wheezed, opting to stay calm, though he was ready to explode into battle if need be.

“I _hate_ it when you compliment me,” Aku said in a dry voice, sounding a thousand miles away, though his mouth was right next to Jack ear. “It makes me feel _sick_. It makes me feel _dizzy_.”

Jack remained in the awkward position, allowing Aku to calm down, listening to his racing heartbeat. What had he done? What was Aku trying to… oh.

He tapped Aku twice on the arm, “I think I can fix it.” he said softly, “Let me go please?”

Aku stiffly released him and Jack sat upright, slowly moving into Aku’s space. Aku’s eyes were so pained, yet still glowing green as they stared at him in total loss. Jack put his hands over Aku’s shoulders and Aku rewound his arms tightly around Jack, nearly knocking Jack back over.

“Do you really hate it? Because If you do I—”

“No,”

Jack felt a hand curl into his back, and another sink desperately into his hair. He tried to speak, but once again found himself completely winded by the intimacy of the moment. Of the sudden gentleness and conflictingly violent desire directed at him.

“I… fear they will go away,” Aku whispered.

“Wh.. what will?”

“When I am _myself_ again, these human…emotions… if they die,” he turned Jack’s face and Jack felt a horrible pain coursing through his chest, “Just _kill_ me,”

“ _What_?”

Aku grimaced, looking away, he made a move like he might run but Jack grasped him tighter.

“No,” Jack said, though he didn’t know. “You will remember,” he said, certainly. But he couldn’t stand to think otherwise. Jack tightly hugged him.

Aku leaned his head on Jack’s shoulder, sighing, “So what if I do though? What happens if I cannot feel—”

“Aku,” Jack said sternly, “In any of the times you gained your powers back, did you want to hurt me?”

Aku blinked and hummed a little more calmly. Jack fingered through his messy hair.

“That was what was bothering you?”

“….yes,”

Jack laughed softly, “You are such an actor,” He sighed, “A short time ago you seemed so annoyed that _I_ might be worried about the same thing… Your eyes.. have been glowing on and off. You have used several of your powers to great effect _without_ turning around and killing me. I… trust that you will not.”

Aku went slightly ridged and then he relaxed again, pretending to innocently rest his head when he was really trying to get closer to his smell. Whatever that smell was.

Jack released him slowly and encouraged him to turn around. Aku did, looking perplexed.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“No. What you are doing?”

Jack put both hands on Aku’s shoulders, “I.. I wanted to be...” Jack struggled for words, “I wanted to make you feel better,”

Aku was quiet for a while and he sighed when Jack began pressing into the sore muscles again. He worked his fingers into them until they went slack.

Aku was far from against this. It was just confusing. While he knew Jack to be generally gentle, he usually only got _this_ close to him when they were in a bed, and Jack knew he wasn’t nearly as sick as he had been. Even if he was exhausted by the release of the lightening last night. His eyes closed as Jack moved to finger comb through his hair, just barely scratching his scalp.

Aku felt like melting, also like he never wanted to move again if this was what he was going to get for it. He let out a sharp gasp at the feeling of lips on the back of his neck. Jack’s hands moved down through his hair and onto his shoulders, as he carefully kissed around the lines. Aku swallowed his surprise turning his head to the side as Jack moved closer, kissing his neck gently.

_‘Make you feel better’. He had said. Was that not what he’d said last time he’d initiated this? Or something similar… Was that a secret code for sex?_ His mind wandered rapidly.

Jack let out a hot breath just below his ear and Aku jittered. Just the shock of Jack initiating this was enough to have his blood rushing. Jack paused in his kissing to pull at Aku’s coat. Aku was more than happy to bend his arms back and feel it slide away. He watched in awe as Jack’s arms wound around him.

It was so bizarrely soothing that it was Jack who wanted to be so close to him, like it was not a threat. Usually when anyone desired closeness with him, it was because they wanted something, power, or what have you. He knew Jack didn’t care about those things. The thought that what Jack actually wanted might be _him?_ Madness. Glorious, twisted irony, that felt so good.

One hand slipped just under the collar of his shirt and the other pushed up over his bare stomach. He let out another sharp gasp.

Jack paused, “You are okay?”

The low voice through him through a loop. He couldn’t stop himself from turning slightly to see Jack. It _was_ still Jack, his beautiful dark eyes staring at him, lips dark and face slightly red. Aku nodded.

He let out a shaky breath and leaned back again, digging his heels into the ground as Jack returned to kissing his neck, one hand exploring the skin of his stomach and the other tracing the outline of his collar bones.

Jack let out a semi conscious noise, almost aggressive, and Aku twisted slightly, pushing back into him. Jack’s hand on his stomach moved, pulling at the hem of his shirt.

“Off,” he whispered and Aku quickly worked at the buttons, gasping in shock as Jack slid his hand down over the outline of his cock through his pants, while also scratching at his scalp again.

“ _Jack_ ,” he hissed breathily, struggling to pull open the last couple of buttons. His right hands still felt completely useless, and it was difficult to control his fingers while he was so distracted. Jack kissed him on the cheek and Aku turned his head, meeting his open mouth, feeling teeth on his lips.

Jack smiled as Aku pulled at his own buttons, releasing his hair to undo his belt and zipper. Gods, he was not sure what Aku had done to him, but he’d been thinking about this all day. Again. Imagining this in his head over and over, he didn’t know if he could handle going slowly. Aku didn’t seem to mind. Jack pulled his hand back up quickly to press into the back of his head, kissing him harder. Aku groaned, exploring Jack’s mouth with passion fueled fascination. Jack sighed. The sight of Aku squirming, feeing him heat up under his touch, despite the cold air, was already driving him crazy. He slid his free hand into his briefs, palming him. Aku shook, arching his back slightly, grasping Jack around the back of his neck and with his uninjured hand.

Aku was more than half hard already and Jack ran his fingers along the underside and down over his balls. He could feel the precome on his arm and moved his hand back up to slicken his hand with it and slide more roughly down, still not gripping his cock yet.

“GkH!” Jack hissed, pulling away and blinking quickly. Aku had bitten his lip. Much harder than he’d been expecting. He frowned at Aku.

Aku’s eyes were wide, “Sorry,” he said quickly, “I did not mean to do that,”

Jack laughed lightly, “are you _sure_?”

Aku jerked up against Jack’s hand, now unmoving, “I am _sure_ ,” he hissed, “I was just… _ah_ , sorry…”

Jack shook his head and smiled. He pulled his hand away and Aku fell limp into him, looking confused.

Jack pushed him to lay on his back and then kissed him again, both his hands were free now to pull the rest of Aku’s clothes off, undoing those last couple of buttons, sliding his pants off, and momentarily forgetting his boots. Aku breathed heavily, helpfully kicking off his boots like they were burning him. And maybe they were since it had taken him so long to put them on in the first place.

Jack licked his palm, ignoring the look of wanton shock on Aku’s face as he grasped him firmly around the base of his cock. Aku arched his back again, clawing at the blanket, Jack paused kissing him and waited for him to calm down.

“You are very sensitive,” Jack whispered.

Aku let out a derisive laugh, “ _So you’ve said…_ What about _your_ clothes?”

Jack blushed slightly but took Aku by the wrists and rested his hands on his belt. Aku’s eyes widened again at the invitation, it was easier from this angle for him to undo the knot in Jack’s belt, except then Jack kissed him on the lips, slowly pulling his hand up all the way over the head of his cock and back down.

Aku hissed in ecstasy. Jack paused to give him a suspicious look and Aku pulled the belt off his gi. His hand moving very slowly.

“What?” he said in a strangled sort of voice.

“I do not want you to bite me so hard again,” he said looking half nervous and half amused.

Aku slid his hands down Jack’s chest, desire burning in his eyes, and Jack blushed.

“Yes… I… I did not mean to do that…” He said again, pressing his fingertips curiously against Jack’s abdominal muscles. “Though I can tell, you do not believe that,”

“I _still_ have bruises from the first time…” Jack said, kissing him on the same spot he’d left said bruises.

Aku laughed and Jack sighed.

“Why do you want to hurt me so badly?” He asked without heat, kissing up to his ear.

“…I do not know,” Aku said, “Mm… I do love the bruises though.”

“Because they leave a mark? I have noticed that you are, …possessive, which should not surprise me…”

“ _Yes_.” He growled, “Do people usually converse like this when they have sex?” Aku asked him and Jack laughed.

“I have no idea what other people do.” He admitted, “I have only ever...” he quickened the motions of his hand just slightly.

“Ah! _Gkk_! B-by the way... I-I have a question for you,” Aku groaned, trying unsuccessfully to undo his fundoshi one handed.

“What?”

“Why is it that you knew how to do that to me when you have never had sex?”

Jack blushed lightly and smiled, “I have done that to myself,”

Aku’s eyes went wide as if he were trying to imagine something so incredibly _scandalous_. Jack kissed him again and Aku could feel the bruise forming just under his Jack’s lip and ran his lip along it in fascination. Jack groaned when Aku gave up fighting with the fabric and roughly ran his hand over the outline of his cock.

“You,” Aku said breathlessly, “Seem quite sensitive to my touch as well, Samurai,”

Jack let out a shuddering breath, “I-I.. yes,” he said, swallowing his embarrassment. Aku’s hand, even through the layers of fabric sent shivers through Jack. He was torn between helping him get it off to finally feel his hand directly on his skin and letting him struggle just a little while longer... but his desire for touch won out.

As Jack pulled away, Aku groaned at the loss and Jack saw that he looked almost drunk, his pupils blown so wide. Jack couldn’t help but smile at the ever so slight blush creeping up _his_ neck. Aku watched like a hawk as Jack pulled the fundoshi apart, growling low at the sight of him.

Jack let out a pained breath at the noise, gasping, “ _Aku_ ,” before kissing him, the sting on his lip only serving to add heat between them. Aku’s right hand reached over Jacks shoulder, resting there gently so as to not hurt himself while pulling him closer. Jack looked into Aku’s hooded eyes as he rolled their hips together, starving for those uncontrollable moans Aku was making. And he did just that, bucked up against him with a startled cry of, “Jack!” Like he could not believe what was happening. Jack groaned, feeling up Aku’s side gently, unwilling to stop kissing him, searching blindly for his left hand. Aku grasped Jack’s hand with his own as if he’d heard the desperate thought.

Jack lead Aku’s hand down between them, and his slender fingers curled around Jack’s erection without further prompting. Jack gasped and grunted, resting his forehead against Aku. Aku slid his hand in a perfect, dexterous imitation of what Jack had done to him.

“S-stop moving,” Jack mumbled, “wait,”

“Wh-why?” He asked,

“G-give me, put your hand, ah,” Jack struggled, pressing his hips up against Aku again, pushing their cocks together. Aku jumped in place, but seemed to catch onto what Jack was trying to ask. He let Jack guide him to grip them both, Jack’s own hand over his and slid them up, hard and slow.

They both groaned, letting out little breaths of pleasure. Jack tightened his hand over Aku’s and stopped him. Aku growled in frustration.

“Why are you torturing us both when—”

“I want you,” Jack cut him off with a soft growl,

“ _I see that_ ,” Aku moaned back, clawing at the blanket. Jack shook his head, stopping once again. He took Aku by both wrists and pinned them both above Aku’s head.

“No...” Jack tried again. He pulled Aku’s hand from his shoulder and the other off their cocks. He gingerly pushed them both over Aku’s head, pinning him down.

“I _want_ you,”

Aku’s eyes went wide and his pupils shrank, “ _Oh_ ,” he laughed nervously,

Jack leaned down to kiss him on the lips, “Can I?” He asked, staring at him with open lust.

Aku laughed nervously again, “ah, S-Sam ur ai, hah..” he swallowed, “if you keep looking at me like _that_ I might let you do anything,”

Jack let out a soft huff of surprise leaning down to kiss him again, passionately, and Aku groaned.

“Just a moment,” Jack told him, moving off of him to drag the bag over to where they were laying. Jack took the lube from the bag that he’d put in before they’d left the house. Aku balked at him.

“You knew?!”

Jack blushed, “I did not _know_ , I merely... hoped,”

Aku’s eyes rolled up into his head and he fell back, mumbling incoherently.

“Aku?” Jack asked, worriedly, “What are “

“It is nice,” he whispered, “To feel so desirable,”

Jack blushed, returning to him, “I.. never would have guessed that you did not already _know_ you are desirable,”

Aku’s green eyes sparkled up at him. Jack was struck with a sudden painful swell of emotions. That _expression_. He blinked. He could wonder about that later.

“Desirable to _you,_ ” Aku corrected, “ _You_ , your opinion of me is much more... ah, extraordinarily unexpected,”

Jack tilted his head, “I... I have..” he blushed, “Did you not know? Even when you were Ikra? When I did not realize it was you?”

Aku blinked, thinking back, “she felt a mutual attachment to you,”

Jack sighed, moving closer, but Aku grasped him by the shoulder.

“ _I_ liked you,” Aku admitted lowly, “Being with you, unaware of who I was...” he sighed, closing his eyes,

Jack swallowed, “She found it funny to manipulate me at the time, I , ah, thought she was my friend... and then she was not real—“

Aku sat up, flinging his arms back around Jack’s shoulders, kissing him hard. Jack fell onto his side, struggling to regain control as Aku tangled with him. Jack bit him lightly in retaliation and Aku groaned, running his tongue along Jack’s lips aggressively, and Jack opened his mouth to let him inside. Jack ran his to tongue over Aku’s before he had the chance to beat Jack to it. Aku grasped Jack by his hair, tangling both hands into it. Jack did it back, pushing Aku to fall back underneath him. Aku struggled to push Jack back without breaking the kiss, refusing to be put into place. Breathlessly, messily, fighting to dominate each other. Aku’s teeth on Jacks bottom lip made him yank his head back by Aku’s hair and Aku growled.

“Do you _want_ me to fight with you?” Jack asked in a low teasing growl, still on his side, since Aku would not let him climb back on top.

“I want you to _loose,”_ he growled back, “I _am_ , Ikra, Jack,” he told him, clawing Jack’s scalp. Sharp waves of pleasure shot down his spine. “And _we are_ friends, remember?”

Jack stared for a moment, hissed, “More than that,” and rolled his hips against Aku’s, making them both moan low. Jack grasped Aku by the wrists once more, pinning him much more aggressively into the blanket. Aku struggled to escape but Jack had him down, straddling his waist to prevent him from fighting any further.

“I win,” Jack told him in an unusually dark voice and Aku grinned.

“Yes, _Sa-mu-rai_ ,” he purred in an entirely sexual way, “show me _exactly_ how _strong_ you are,” he said snapping his teeth together threateningly, “ _have_ me your way now,” he whispered, hooding his eyes and leaning up against Jacks lips, “because when my powers return, _Jack_ , I will ravish you..” he growled.

Jack kissed him softly, “I will,” he answered calmly, “I _will_ show you exactly how strong I am,” he agreed, “When your powers return to you, will you seek revenge for this moment, D _emon_?”

Aku’s eyes lit up, staring at Jack with that animalistic fire, “yes,” he nodded, laying back, just this once, accepting defeat, “yes, I promise you I will,”

Jack nodded, dizzy with desire, “good,”

He let go of Aku to grab the lubricant and did not miss the grimace on Aku’s face.

Jack paused, “If you do not want this, I—“

“I know that,” he said, raising his eyebrows, “I do,”

“Tell me if I am hurting you,”

Aku smiled and looked away.

“ _Aku_ ,”

“Yes, yes, I heard you, Sa-mu-rai!” he said laughing, “I _will_ ,”

“You had better,” Jack said squinting.

Jack laid down beside him again, moving his fingers over the ring of muscle, and Aku unconsciously shut his eyes. This time, though, it was a little less difficult, even as he forced himself to relax. His body still protested, but he breathed out when Jack slid the first finger in, and again when he pushed deeper. It wasn’t amazingly good, like Jack’s mouth around his cock was, but this time he knew what he was waiting for. It made the discomfort almost a _part_ of the fun.

Odd. Aku had assumed that _if_ this would happen, _he_ would be on top. The thought would have never even occurred to him that by the time their third sexual encounter happened that it would be his second time _under_ Jack and first time getting _fucked_ by him. Jack would never phrase it like that of course but Aku couldn’t help but think it. The way Jack made their encounters so… romantic, didn’t lend itself to that word anyway, but Aku couldn’t really think of a word that described the way it made him feel. _Willingly weak_?

“Okay?”

“Yes,” Aku hissed at him, failing to sound calm.

Jack hummed, reaching up to kiss him, distracting him for a moment, letting him get used to the intrusion. Because of the cold, Jack also took a moment to get more lubricant before gently moving his finger back and forth, slowly, up to the knuckle and away again.

Aku looked up at Jack, half expecting to see some smug expression on his handsome face, but he was far from looking smug. So caught up in concentration, his lips were bent down in a soft frown, even though his pupils, just barely darker than his brown eyes, were blown wide.

Sex like this was, by his understanding, _supposed_ to make the person in _his_ position feel vulnerable. But he did not. Not, at least, in the way he had thought he would. He was, in a literal and physical sense, fairly uncomfortable. Locked beneath a person that he knew could overpower him, completely naked and in an awkward position with his legs bent. Letting Jack do something he would never have even imagined that he would _ever_ allow someone to do to him.

Yet, Jack rested his head at Aku’s shoulder and took his sweet time introducing his second finger into the equation, determined to not hurt him, absolutely intent on bringing them _both_ pleasure. This was exactly why he _didn’t_ feel vulnerable...

Or maybe, this was what vulnerability was meant to be like between human couples? He remembered Jack explaining before, that exchanging vulnerabilities was a way that humans bonded. At the time he had imagined this being only things that they could use against each other and, honestly, he’d always thought that was _stupid_.

He’d also thought sex as an expression of bonding was contradictory to the very nature of the act. You take pleasure and you are finished. Humans released chemicals when they had sex which helped them connect with one another, creating a semi permanent ongoing bond, to go along with the temporary physical one. It was a bestial act, something they were _driven_ to do, instinctually.

He’d been wrong. _Very_ wrong. At least when it came to the two of them. This was not like that at all. The first time he’d instigated anything with Jack may have seemed, at the time, connected more with his body than his mind, but if that were true why was he so afraid of rejection? Their fantastic little encounter in the shower had taken forethought on Jack’s end, and he knew Jack had decided that that was what he wanted. He did not have to, he did not need to, he wanted to. Specifically with him, to make _him_ feel good, because making him feel good also made Jack happy. The chemical bond that had _definitely_ occurred during and after that encounter was on purpose. Put there as a celebration of... whatever bonds they had already created.

Even though he had technically ‘lost’ their little foreplay battle, he was not upset. He was not scared of Jack, or fearful that somehow Jack was going to use this against him. He just wanted to feel good and he wanted Jack to feel good _because_ of him.

“Are you okay? You are very quiet,” Jack asked gently, Aku blinked, realizing he’d gone back to a tense grimace.

“Yes,” he said.

Jack frowned at him

“Kiss me,”

Jack blinked and then smiled, leaning up to follow the request. It was so fucking obnoxiously gentle. It hurt. He grasped Jack by his hair as he gasped, and then loosened his grip, in an attempt to also be gentle. It was difficult. Jack sighed, kissing him over and over, with a reverence that he’d never known from a millennia of worship. It absolutely took his breath away.

Stupid.

Stupid humans and their silly sex bonding rituals that worked so _fucking_ well.

Aku jolted when Jack found his prostate, and realized that he’d been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn’t felt the third finger. Jack smiled.

“Damn it Jack,” Aku growled at him

Jack laughed, “Wh-what?!”

“You are perfect,” he said, “I hate you,”

Jack laughed confusedly, “I hope that is not true...” he swallowed, “I, ah, thank you? I think..”

He sounded nervous and it just made Aku want to slap him. Or kiss him again. Or maybe bite him. Emotions were confusing.

“Do you need me to stop? You are doing that… thing you do when you get nervous.”

“What!? No. It is... it is just, ah, I do not know. I do know, however, that I do _not_ want you to stop.”

“Like that,”

“What?”

“You get very defensive and talk very fast.”

Aku blinked rapidly and then glared, “Stop noticing things that are inconvenient for me!”

“No,” He said smirking, “That would be like me asking for you to be nice all the time,”

Aku sighed, “Impossible then? Well, I suppose I will be forced to accept it.”

Jack snorted, “Aku! Please,” he said, kissing him gently again, “Tell me what you want. Really.”

Aku stared at him for a long moment, the fire in his green eyes gleaming up at Jack.

“You,” he said, and despite everything else that was happening, Jack felt his face light up and had to close his eyes to breath.

“Hn-… So you-So you do not hate me?” he asked, swallowing.

“No, I do not. You said you wanted me, Jack,” he said smirking, “Are you going to take me or not?”

Jack let out a breath as he glared, and continued to blush. He pulled his hand away and took the lube out again, sitting back to thoroughly coat his cock. He climbed back over Aku, between his legs, and guided him to bend his knees at his sides. There was a moment of strained silence as Aku tried to figure out where he wanted to place his hands, and Jack panted in hot anticipation, pushing up against Aku. Jack leaned his forehead down on Aku’s painfully aware of how tense they were and of how hard he actually had to push in order to get just the tip inside. The grunt of discomfort along with the fingernails cutting into his shoulder blades made him pause for just a moment.

“Do it,” Aku growled in frustration,

“But I—”

“I cannot get used to it if you won’t _do_ it,” he told him sharply.

Jack grasped Aku by his hips and shoved forward once more, both of them gasped. Lights sparked in the corers of Jack’s vision and he bit his already sore lip trying to calm himself. Through his blurred vision he saw the grimace on his partners face and felt those sharp nails run down his back.

“AH! Do- no-do not do that-” Jack groaned,

Aku glared, “ _What_?”

Jack sighed, shuddering, “Your fingernails! _ah_ -AKu! That feels good, please-stop,”

Aku blinked in confusion, “What?” He said again.

“I have never done this before—” Jack groaned, panting like he was being choked.

Aku’s hands shook slightly, “That is a difficult request!” Aku growled, “Jack! Move, Gods D _amn_ it! Move _now_!”

Jack was very thankful for the amount of lubricant he had used because he couldn’t imagine how uncomfortable this would have been for Aku if he hadn’t. It was already so tight, even after doing what he thought he was supposed to do. He was already sweating with the effort it took not to move faster. Aku clawed him across the shoulders again and he let out a sharp moan, thrusting forward in response.

Aku screamed something, but Jack wasn’t sure it was even English. Or Japanese.

“Sorry, I am sorry,” Jack groaned, kissing him,

“Nnnmm,” Aku growled into his mouth, clawing through his hair. Jack shivered at the feeling of Aku wrapping his long legs around his hips, so _invitingly_ , and clawing his shoulders again. Egging him on. Suddenly he lost control again, jolting himself forward and groaning.

“ _Ahh_! Gods! Ghn!” Aku yelled between sharp gasps.

“A-aku,” Jack moaned low in his ear, desperately trying to not move as Aku’s body clenched down on him like a vice.

“Jack!” He growled, clawing at Jacks shoulder blades and Jacks eyes rolled, he grimaced.

“ _Aku_ ,” Jack growled back, running his own fingernails down Aku’s sides and down his hips.

“ _Yes_!” Aku said, his voice breaking each time Jack moved, “ _There_ -GK! Jack.. _so good_ ,” he moaned in a haze and then possessively bit his shoulder. Jack jerked in surprise, and Aku let out a half gasp of pained pleasure.

“A-Aku!” Jack growled back, “Breath, you are supposed to _breath_! Let me make this good for you,”

Aku squirmed, “Yes, yes, I am- _ah_!- I am trying,” he said breathlessly, sighing when Jack pulled away and moving into Jack’s thrust right after. Jack moaned unabashedly, he couldn’t help it anymore.

Jack reached between them, surprised to find Aku still mostly hard and did his best to continue stroking him, though his concentration was blurry at best. Aku groaned, dizzy, fighting to breath through the conflicting thoughts and sensations screeching in his mind. Jack paused, his teeth clenched in agonized ecstasy. Aku pulled Jack down by his shoulder and Jack gasped.

“ _Move_ ,”

“I-I ...” Jack groaned, shaking, kissing him before giving in and nodding. He aimed as well as he could, dizzy and breathless, vaguely wondering how he never knew he could feel this good... but it would have been impossible. Words didn’t stand up to it.

“ _Jack_!” Aku hissed.

He slowly rocked his hips back and forth, watching Aki’s expression slowly changing from tense to sex-inebriated. His uncomfortable growls turning into low whines and then full on gasping moans as Jack learned how to more accurately hit his target.

Jack knew he wasn’t going to last long, not this time, but Aku seemed a ways away. He bit his lip and then stopped-the burn was enough to startle him. Aku sighed pleasantly, his long legs shaking around Jacks hips, his fingers curled into his shoulders.

He.. he wondered..

_He really wanted to know_. Jack bit his lip again, it didn’t take much, from all the previous abuse and kissing, he felt a little cut open just centered where Aku had bitten him. For a moment he wondered if the pain would help him last longer, but as he pushed against Aku’s prostate once again, Aku’s muscles so tight around him, he knew it wouldn’t. He wanted Aku to come first, he wanted him to feel _good_.

Jack leaned down, gently running his lips against Aku’s before pulling away. Aku blinked at him when he realized Jack was not going to keep kissing him. Then his green eyes went wide, his pupils blowing up inside the green fire and fixated on Jack’s mouth. Jack only had a second of realization as to what he’d just awoken before Aku grasped Jack by the hair, kissing him hard, and drawing on the small wound like he was _dying_.

Jack wasn’t entirely sure what was happening at that point, thrusting wildly out of his own control, against Aku’s own, pulling himself into them with his legs. Jack managed to snake his hand between them once more, sliding his hand tightly down from the head of his cock to the base. Aku bucked wildly against him once, twice, and Jack exploded into his own orgasm, hearing Aku scream just after, so so tight around him.

Just as last time, out of the corners of Jack’s eyes, he saw sparks crackling along the edge of Aku’s form, though Aku’s eyes were tightly shut.

They both collapsed in the blanket, panting, sweaty, sticky, dizzy, and bloody.

Aku twitched in little aftershocks, sighing against Jack’s shoulder. Jack became aware that he was gasping loudly, and so was Aku. The cold air was starting to cling to his sweaty skin. He took in another shaky breath.

Aku made a strange noise.

“You…” Jack said breathlessly, “Are you okay?”

Aku didn’t even try to respond, he just nodded, swallowing the cold air in an effort to come down from the high.

“Jack…”

“Y-yes?”

“You… are still,”

“Oh,” Jack said, going red, and gently removed himself from Aku.

They both spasmed with oversensitivity.

“Sorry,”

“Stop apologizing,” Aku said, eyes closed, breathing slowly calming.

Jack pulled the side of their blanket over them for the moment, no longer able to ignore the cold. He pushed Aku’s hair out of his face and closed his own eyes for a moment.

Jack was startled at the small kiss he received, opening his eyes. Aku looked thoroughly wrecked, eyes hooded, his hair tangled and sticking to his face, lips bruised and a little bloody. Jack sighed at the sight of him.

“What?”

“Uh,” Jack blinked, swallowing, “You are very handsome,”

Aku’s eyes went wide and he smiled amusedly, “You should see _yourself_ , Jack.” he purred, kissing him again. Jack blushed, but kissed him back. He imagined he probably looked just as ragged, if not more so since he was the one with a cut on his lip.

“Aku,”

“mm?”

“What is it with you and blood?”

Aku raised his eyebrows, “I think,” he said tiredly, “it awakens the demon in me,”

Jack laughed lightly, “Hmm, that sounds dangerous,”

“Did you mean to do that?” He asked, eyeing Jack’s lips.

Jack blushed, “Y..yes,”

Aku balked, tilting his head a little and narrowing his eyes. Jack thought he was going to say something, but all that he did was make a strangled noise of lust, his eyes rolling before he closed them for a moment. He blushed even harder.

“I think… I need to go back to the house.”

Jack peered at him worriedly, “Of course—”

“I am… thoroughly washing myself off,” he muttered, “the _moment_ I get back,”

Jack smiled and nodded.

Jack put his own clothes back on and put their things away. Aku gave up trying to put his shoes on again, but when Aku stood he immediately fell. Jack dropped the bag to catch him.

“You forgot about your burns again?” He asked worriedly.

Aku smiled, “No. I just…cannot stand…”

Jack burned red, “ah, I-hmm,”

Aku snickered, “Take me to the house, idiot,”

Jack shook his head but helped him climb back into his back to do just that. Aku did not complain about having to be carried around this time, or seem bothered at all. Jack smiled, still red around the ears, but very pleased that he had helped Aku feel better.

“You are happy,”

Aku hummed. Jack smiled.

“You... answered my question,” Aku said softly.

Jack turned red, “The.. question about how I know... things?”

Aku snorted, “No, you said, ‘more than that’”

It took jack a moment to catch up and then he felt his face going white. Or maybe he blushed again, he wasn’t sure. He had, hadn’t he? More than that. _More than friends._

Aku laughed, “I know that you did not mean it as a ‘yes’, but... it did seem as though you are considering it,”

Jack _knew_ he was burning red in the face now.

“Being mine,” he mumbled, as if Jack didn’t already know what he was talking about. Or how possessive he _really_ wanted to be.

“Aku,” he said lightly,

“Don’t ruin my mood,” he growled half heartedly.

Jack scoffed, “I do not think I will ruin your mood,” He said tilting his head slightly so that he could feel that curly black hair on his cheek. “I wanted to tell you that I...”

Aku was quiet.

“I-I-I _am_ happy,”

“Mm?”

“With you, I mean. I... enjoy your company.”

Aku pressed his face further into the crook of Jack’s neck.

“I do not know how to say it,” he mumbled softly. “I am grateful that you are temporarily human, because if you had not been... this may not have happened,”

Aku tightened his grip around Jacks shoulders.

“I am not grateful that you had to suffer, or that Nebula is awake. Yet I cannot help but feel relieved that our fights have ended. Being with you is so much easier,”

“Than what? Being alone? That’s not much, is it?”

“Easier than _anything_ ,” Jack mumbled, “I feel very comfortable speaking with you. You know me. I have no need to... ah, I do not know how to explain it. I am just, very happy here...with you,” his face went red.

“You are my favorite too,” Aku laughed softly, kissing him.

Jack grinned, trying not to stumbled over the flowers as they went.


	25. Practice Makes me Really Uncomfortable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weekend where Ana is away, gives Jack and Aku to try some trust exercises... ;D  
> There is lots of... cuteness. Sorry? XD
> 
> This is going to be longer than 30 chapters, I'm sorry, XD I'll change the number when I have a better idea of how many or I reach 30... whoops.

“We need to talk about what we are going to do,” Jack said, shoving food into his mouth as he paced back and forth in the living room, “About Nebula. Since Ana is not here, we really should have a conversation,” he scratched his head, and shoved more food into his mouth, swallowed and added, “We probably should have already.”

“Mmhm,” Aku answered dully, spreading himself out over the couch.

“This is important,” Jack told him blinking,

Aku raised his eyebrows, “I said, ‘mmhm’,’ were you not listening?”

Jack rolled his eyes, “Aku,”

“Ahhhh I know, I know,” he said, throwing his head back to get his wavy black hair out of his face.

Jack kept getting intense wafts of that smokey smell mixed with clean water and soap and it made him a little weak in the knees every time. He shook his head.

“Do you not feel well?”

Aku smirked at him, “I feel… oddly like I got _fucked_ yesterday,”

Jack choked on his food and glared.

“What?” Aku shrugged, laughing at the expression, “It was kind of exhausting, _not that I’m complaining_ ,” he purred, raising his eyebrows, “But-bu-” he yawned, “Yes.”

Jack blinked, trying to will away the heat in his face, concentrating on his food. He sighed, and sat in one of the plush chairs in the living room. Obviously Aku was not going to be helpful so he may as well enjoy eating.

“What is it that we need to talk about?” Aku asked tiredly, unwilling to move from his spot, he looked at Jack upside-down, “How to get rid of Nebula? Or how to convince Ana that she cannot come with us when we go out to do that? Or…”

Jack raised his eyebrows, taking another bite and watching him. Aku smiled.

“Do not be mad at me for making a _joke_ ,” he teased, winking, “Really. What is it that you want to talk about?”

“Do you still feel completely disconnected with your powers?”

“Ah,” Aku said, turning his head back to a comfortable position and poked at the bandages on his right hand, “Not that I can tell… It seemed almost like I was more connected with it before Nebula nearly killed me,”

Jack stood up and walked over to the couch, waving at Aku to move his legs so he could sit down beside him.

“Do you think it is because you are still in pain?” he asked, and then held out the bowl, “Are you sure you are not hungry? It would make me happy if you ate,”

Aku sighed and took the bowl, “I have no idea. It seemed like sometimes extreme feelings such as pain or fear actually brought them closer to the surface,” he idly spun the chopsticks around in the food, “Where did you find these? Ana did not _have_ these did she?”

“She brought them home when you were asleep,”

“Huh,”

“You cannot feel them at all?”

Aku peered at him and frowned, taking an uninterested bite of food. Jack smiled sadly.

“I am sorry… ah..”

“Wha?” he asked, eyeing the sudden return of a blush to Jack’s face.

Jack braced himself, sliding closer to Aku. Aku slid his legs over Jack’s lap for moving into his space.

“We need to leave here soon. I know we can not move you right now. And I believe you did some extensive damage to _him_ , at least enough to scare him away for a while. But I have noticed some little things happening to you, have you noticed?”

Aku blinked, “Sleeping for a week straight ?”

“No, you are healing much faster than I did,” he said softly touching Aku’s wrist,

“Hmmm, I can only seem to do these things when _you_ are scared,”

Jack sighed, “Then this is the first step, we must find a way around that.”

Aku watched him perplexedly, “such as?”

Jack sighed, “I -I am not sure. I did notice…S-so… to list what has happened so far… Your fire and speed, or teleportation? returned to you when you saw me being kidnapped,”

Aku nodded, seeming to warm up a when he got a real taste of the food.

“Your fire and speed also returned to you when the shadow sisters were after us at that club, and, your fire returned when Nebula was attacking you? I know you shifted but that seemed like it was his doing more so than your own?”

“Mmhm,” he agreed. Jack smiled, feeling weirdly warm just from the sight of him eating.

“I saw, when you managed to get rid of Nebula’s lightening, right at the end, the fire.”

“Mm??”

“Fire,” he said, tilting his head, “You did not notice?”

Aku shook his head.

“Well right at the end, there was very red fire. It looked much more like fire I have seen you make then Nebula’s lightening.”

Aku blinked, shrugging. Jack smiled and blushed again, looking at the window.

“There- there were two other times as well.”

“Mm?”

“Uh…” he cleared his throat, “The.. the other day, in the shower…when you… reached climax,” he said, feeling his face light up. Aku raised his eyebrows, giving him a softly amused smirk, and dropping the chopsticks back into the food.

“I thought we were talking about Nebula.”

“We- we are,”

Aku frowned, tilting his head, “I do not understand,”

Jack hummed, sighing, “Before all this happened, when you were especially close to me, I could feel you.”

Aku stared, “Well I was trying to _murder_ you,”

Jack scoffed, “When I fell into your tower, into your hand,”

Aku smirked, “You did ‘not fall into my hand’, I caught you,”

Jack blushed, momentarily distracted, “You…you caught me?”

“Of course,” he scoffed, “Otherwise you would have broken your neck or smashed your skull open on the floor. I couldn’t have that,” he smirked, touching Jack’s face, “Not when you had been so _kind_ as to visit me,”

“Right,” Jack said, turning away before Aku could try anything. Since it very will might work. “When I was there, sitting in your hand, I could feel you,”

Aku hummed, still lost.

“You… you have a current, I do not want to insult you by saying it is quite similar to Nebula’s but—”

“Current?” he barked in shock, putting the bowl on the floor and staring at Jack with his mouth parted slightly, “You can _feel_ my magic?”

“Is that what it is?” Jack said, sounding relieved that Aku had figured it out.

“Yes… But that is quite unusual,”

“What is?”

“That you can feel it,” Aku said, squinting, “Many people can _see_ it,” he continued, leaning against the couch and reached out for Jack to take his hand. He did, trying to see if he could feel anything now.

“But people cannot usually feel it? How do you know that? You do not let people so close to you,”

Aku snickered, “Other people have been close to me, Samurai,” he said, smiling up at him when he tensed, “Not in the way that you have, of course,”

“That- it-is your, I mean, in the past…”

Aku smirked, “I do not like the thought of hands, other than my own, on _you_ either,”

Jack’s face burned, “We are getting off subject,” he said quickly, “Your magic, we must—”

“This is not off subject at all,” Aku said, squeezing his hand, “Tell me exactly what you saw,”

At the sight of Jack going pale he added, “As much of it as you _can_ ,”

“I suppose I must trust you with your powers while we are... because you...”

Aku blinked, “What?”

“You sparked at the edges, and sort of... uhm, you .. you climaxed like a- a human would but you also… I think that is what you must do, with your actual form,”

Aku blinked in shock, “I... in my real body? When I climax?” he said blinking.

“You do not know what happens usually do you?” Jack asked nervously.

Aku shook his head, “No,”

“Right. So-yes..I think so, yes. You didn’t _exactly_ shift, but something happened. I.. I could not really see it all since..”

“Since your mouth was otherwise in use?” Aku said, laughing at Jack’s annoyed sigh.

“Ah, well anyway, y-your eyes,” he said, sitting up a little taller, “Glowed as they sometimes do. And your hands, shifted slightly. I could not see very well, but I thought I saw…” he looked into Aku’s eyes, “Blackness, moving over your skin,”

Aku raised his eyebrows high, “Ah…”

“But then,” Jack continued, eyeing Aku nervously up and down, “I felt it, that sort of ‘hum’ that is not quite a noise, ‘buzzing’ that is not quite like electricity, and you sparked at the edges. Black smoke. It also happened yesterday, right after,”

Aku hissed inwardly, leaning back.

“So…” Aku said softly, “It is _not_ fear,”

“No,” Jack agreed, swallowing, “It is trust. As you said in the beginning.”

Aku sighed tiredly. Jack watched his green eyes staring into a void of thought Jack could not see.

“We must learn to trust each other,” Jack said, “I do not know how to do that without just…”

“Time,”

“Yes, and even still. How do we force such a thing to happen?” he blinked shaking his head, “Trust exercises?”

Aku blinked, “What is _that_?”

“They are… games of a sort. Where you test the limits the bonds you have with other people.”

“…And how is that done, exactly?”

“I do not know, I have never done it. I know of ‘trust falling’, and I know some exercises I did in my practice where I needed to know my partner was not going to hurt me.”

Aku looked up at him, “Trust falling?”

Jack snickered, “Yes, where one person falls on purpose and must trust the other to catch them,”

Aku blinked, “We could… try that? I do not know what else to do.”

“Very well, we can try some of this..” he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“There may be one other thing,” Aku mumbled and Jack turned his head to look at him, “As I said, it is very unusual that you can _feel_ my magic. Just existing. I might have made sense of this by saying it is because of what happened. Nebula connecting us together, but… you say you could feel it before that?”

“Yes,” Jack said certainly, “I know I could,”

“Perhaps we can use this connection to our conscious benefit,”

“Y-yes,” Jack agreed nervously, not sure he liked the sound of that, “Perhaps,” he hummed and then voiced a question that he’d had for a while that was still making him nervous, “Do you think… Will I need to trust you _forever_ in order to allow you to use them?”

“I do not think so. Once I can fully transform again I should be able to strengthen myself.”

Jack couldn’t decide if he should feel relief or disappointment and his mind roamed over the conversation, stopping at the image of Aku’s hands, slowly going black. At the feeling of that ‘buzzing’. Jack had a sudden rush, thinking of what would happen if Aku _did_ have his body back. Would that burst of energy be just as visible? As tangible? If he were that close to him when it happened. If he was inside him… or Aku was inside _him_? All the hair on his body stood on end and he shivered, shaking the image from his head.

Aku swung his legs off of Jack and stood up, stretching painfully, “I want to try,”

“Try?”

“Try to see if I can use any of my powers, but, I do not think I should do it in here.”

“No, Ana will be unhappy with us if you set the house on fire.” he agreed smiling.

Jack let Aku walk outside on his own, only a few steps behind, just in case. Aku walked along the stone path and the side of the house into the back yard. Searching for an open enough space. There was a fire pit with a fairly wide brick circle underneath it. Aku decided this was good enough, and sat down on one of the stone benches, or he tried too, but Jack caught him and cleared the leaves and water away first. Aku smiled.

“So,” Jack said. Clearing another space for himself, “What should we try?”

Aku hummed, “Let me see if I can get anything to happen first, ah, Call it the control.”

“The what?”

“Control test?…No? ah, never mind.”

Jack blinked but didn’t press.

Aku stretched his fingers, recalling the feeling of summoning fire, imagining the flames and the heat. He did not really expect anything to happen, and it did not. He sighed sadly and tried again.

Jack was so much more patient than he was. Just sitting there. Probably bored. Aku grimaced, trying to focus. He tried to ignore the fact that Jack was beside him while he concentrated. But the more he tried _not_ to think about it, the more that became his only thought.

He sighed again, dropping his hands to his knees.

“Come here, Samurai,” he said, clearing the spot just beside him.

Jack raised an eyebrow but moved closer, allowing Aku to put his right arm around him.

“What is wrong?”

“You are distracting me,”

Jack laughed, “How is this going to help?”

“Maybe it will not. I don’t know,” he said shrugging, “Tell me though, can you feel it now?”

Jack curiously took Aku’s wrist in his hands, pressing his fingers against his skin. Aku was startled by the tingling sensation he got from just that.

“Mmm, I do not think so.” Jack said, “I can feel your heart beating,”

“Hmm,” Aku stared at Jack’s hands on his wrist.

This alone was a useful application of Jack’s apparent sensitivity to his magic. Or magic in general, since he had compared his with Nebula’s.

“Wait...” Jack whispered, closing his eyes,

Aku tilted his head

“Yes...Yes I can! But it is very mmm, soft? Distant?”

“Weak?”

Jack grimaced, opening his eyes to give him a sympathetic smile. Aku stared into those dark eyes and then smiled, struck with an idea. He rested his head on Jacks shoulder.

“Hmm?”

“Just keep, ah... doing what you are doing,”

“Okay,” Jack agreed, gently rubbing circles into Aku’s forearm.

The action was so gentle and affectionate. Aku let his eyes drift closed just to feel it.

Jack smiled as Aku relaxed against him, he could feel the weight shifting onto him and he felt his face going a little red. He wasn’t entirely sure what Aku was trying to do, but it felt nice so he chose not to fight it. Jack grinned when Aku pushed his face up against his neck, letting out a comfortable sigh.

He continued the little motions over his forearm, Aku was always warmer than him. Even if he said he was cold, like he was constantly a little feverish. Jack liked it because it kept him warm at night, and he liked the smoky smell that came with it. He was so taken away by the moment that it took him a second to realize he felt something. He looked down, half expecting to see black claws, but nothing _looked_ different. He just felt a low buzzing sort of vibration.

“I feel it,” Jack said in awe.

“Hmm?” Aku hummed.

Jack smiled, “your magic!” He told him excitedly.

Aku didn’t move, “It seems that it is closer to the surface when we are relaxed,”

“Oh,”

Aku sighed again, nuzzling him softly and Jack nervously laughed.

“Let go of my hand,” Aku whispered and Jack reluctantly moved his hands away.

Aku spread his fingers wide and tensed them. He didn’t watch, he knew Jack would react if anything happened, and it seemed easier not to get overwhelmed if his eyes were shut.

Jacks mouth parted. All thoughts were silenced as he watched Aku’s fingertips going pure black, elongating into elegant claws. He twitched, very curious.

“Nothing?”

“Your hand is almost... _back to normal_ ,” Jack said, sounding fascinated.

“Really?” Aku asked, unable to resist looking any longer. He balked.

Jack ms eyes were fixed on them and he flexed his own fingers over and over like he was itching to touch. Aku smiled.

“It is okay,” he said and Jack let out a pleased breath, slowly spreading his own fingers over Aku’s. Aku rested his head again, allowing Jack to run his thumb and forefinger up Aku’s index finger, absolutely fascinated by his ethereal skin. Then, he went back to holding his wrist, petting over his skin gently in little circles.

Aku was swept away by the tenderness. He buried his face in Jack’s shoulder again, feeling his own ears go red. Hoping Jack was too distracted to notice.

Jack tilted his head as the blackness began to wither at the edges and retreat back into Aku’s hand.

“Are you okay?”

“Tired,” Aku mumbled, sitting up straight and then glaring at his human hand, “damn it,”

Jack smiled, “We got something to happen! That is good, I think!”

Aku nodded leaning on Jack a little to stand up.

“I am going to walk... as far as possible, around the house. I am so _sick_ of being stuck in one place,”

Jack smiled, “That is probably good, just be sure not to hurt yourself further,”

Aku rolled his head back and pretended not to hear as he continued to follow the path. He paused beside the house when he saw Jack still sitting on the bench.

“You are... staying?”

Jack smiled, “I did not know I was invited,”

Aku sighed, and motioned for him to come on. Jack grinned. The silence was unusually comfortable. Jack could tell that Aku was struggling to wake up, like the little bit of shifting he had done had already exhausted him. He leisurely walked once around the house, they both paused for a few minutes to watch the water wheel spinning soothingly through the water. On their second go around Jack noticed a small pathway leading out further into the back yard, into trees. It looked quite warn, so they tried it walking up a hill until Aku made a face and Jack forced him to turn around.

“Do not make yourself more sick,” Jack said half annoyed, half amused.

“Sick. _Sick_. I hate being human.”

Jack snickered.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Jack said innocently.

The trip down the hill was easier, Aku slid a couple of times, grinding his teeth every time he put too much weight on the burns. Distracted by his desire to help him, Jack did not see the wire. They had passed over it earlier, paying more attention to one another than the trees, even in their silence. This time though, it caught Aku around the heel.

He yelled in surprise as he was knocked off his feet and Jack turned to help him when he was dragged through the rocks and foliage like he was a fallen kite. Jack rushed after. Now he was very aware of where he stepped, checking rocks and leaves as quickly as possible with his eyes as he ran after his companion. Aku fell from a small hill and then screamed. Jack saw flashes of Nebula in his head and threw himself from the hill to the other side, to see… Aku laying in the dirt on his back.

His legs were completely tangled in wire, as were his arms, and he was within like a fish out of water. Jack tried unsuccessfully to get closer to help several times but could not get close enough without stepping on the wires with them moving like that.

Jack backed away holding his hands out,“Ak- _Aku_! You are hurting yourself!” he yelled, seeing the red lines boring into his wrists where his skin was exposed.

Aku didn’t seem to hear, he was too busy writhing and Jack could see the angry red marks growing dark. He sighed, and angled himself over Aku, fitting in fast enough to pin him down by the waste with his legs and by the chest with his hands. Aku made a noise of protest but Jack put his hands on Aku’s face.

“Shhh, shhh,” he said authoritatively, Aku was shivering, his lips were white but he’d finally stopped moving, looking up at Jack. “I have you, okay? I will get you out,”

Aku blinked up at him, swallowing uncomfortably.

Jack nodded, “Do not move, I am going to cut these off and I do not want to hurt you,”

Aku watched, heart pounding in his throat as Jack, still holding him down, drew his sword.

“It is okay,” Jack said again, keeping eye contact with him as he moved the sword closer to his hands, only looking away to make sure he slid the blade between the wires. It broke open with several small _pops_ and Aku yanked his arms down over his face, grimacing and grinding his teeth. Jack moved off him and cut the wire from his black boots with another set of _pops_.

Aku sat up, looking sick, wrapping his arms around his knees. Jack sat beside him, putting the sword into its sheath. He eyed their surroundings suspiciously, putting his hand on Aku’s back.

Jack sat very still, listening to Aku’s stuttering breaths, looking back and forth, but seeing nothing. There was a long silence and Jack turned to put a hand on Aku’s shoulder. Aku’s heart was pounding under his ribs. Speeding up. He blinked.

“Aku?”

“I hate... being trapped in this body,” he whispered angrily.

“I am sorry,” Jack said, nodding, “I am sure that—”

“I am not _useless_!”

Jack blinked in surprise, “I.. I did not _say_ you were,”

Aku bared his teeth at something beyond Jack. Jack looked around, confused and alarmed. Aku glared into the woods like someone was watching them. The expression was intense enough to make Jack feel it as well, land look back and forth between Aku and the trees.

Aku gasped like someone had punched him in the gut. Jack tilted his head, unsure of what to do, or what was happening. He shook his head and ground his teeth, going paler and paler.

“No, no, no, you are _not_ supposed to be here,” he growled, clawing at his hair,

“What do you mean?” Jack asked

Aku looked at him and Jack drew closer slowly.

“No!” Aku hissed and Jack backed up, his mouth parted in confusion.

Aku stared at the same fixed spot with his pupils painfully expanded, panting and white in the face, plainly in a cold sweat. Jack let out a stressed hiss, looking at the empty spot in total loss.

“ _No_ ,” he growled at nothing, sewing his fingers through his hair like he might tear it out.

“Aku? What is happening?”

“Do not!” He yelled, diffing his nails into his scalp and twisting away, though he knew it was useless,

“DO NOT SAY IT!” He screamed shrilly.

Jack stood up looking at the spot where Aku was staring and walked slowly closer, drawing his sword from his side. Aku didn’t seem to even notice him, cowering as he was, from this invisible foe. Jack felt his blood boiling. _His_ demon would not be defeated by _wires_ or _imaginary voices_.

“I WILL DO NO SUCH THING!” he screamed,

Jack jumped a little, furrowing his brows, wondering what horrid things he was hearing or seeing that would make _him_ react like _this_.

“No,” Aku growled, “That is not...”

“Aku,”

Aku looked at Jack and the air abandoned his lungs again, the sight of him, with his sword drawn, and the look of fierce punishment in his eyes.He did not know what to say, so he said nothing.

Aku’s eyes snapped back to the sound and in a graceful flash the sword cut through the darkness, so fast, the air went _CRACK!_ Jack stood still, waiting, listening and Aku looked up at him _stunned_. Jack slowly stood straight again, sheathing his sword. Jack sat beside him again, cupping his face, and Aku averted his eyes. He could still feel himself shaking.

“I did not know that you...” Jack hummed softly, “I understand,”

Aku swallowed, meeting his gaze confusedly, “ _What_?”

“I have internal struggles, that sometimes result in a more... physical expression.”

“You hear voices?”

“Do you hear more than one?” he asked concernedly,

Aku shook his head, biting back the feeling of shame.

“Mine is most often my own... but I also hear my Father, or others, and sometimes even _you_ ,”

“Me?”

Jack smiled, “That has not happened in quite a while,”

“You knew I was hearing voices and you attacked them?”

Jack blushed a little, “Did it work?”

Aku stared at him, raising his eyebrows “yes,”

Jack smiled again, “I am glad. It is good to know that even the voices are afraid of me,” he said, tilting his head. Aku scoffed, he might have laughed, really laughed, but he was dizzy now. He leaned against Jack.

“I-I know, what you are thinking Samurai,” Aku said uncomfortably.

“You do?” He asked, genuinely confused, turning his gaze back to Aku “That is quite impressive,”

Aku squinted at him but Jack just smiled.

“ _I_ do not know what I was thinking, so you must forgive my amazement at your superior powers, Aku,” he teased.

Aku groaned, rolling his eyes, “It is unreasonable! That is, my… reaction is unreasonable.”

Jack shrugged, frowning before looking Aku up and down again, “I do not like being restrained either,” he admitted, “I do not think your ... distaste for it is unreasonable,”

Aku smiled and put his head down, “I do not recall you ever flying into a panic because you had been captured, and I saw it _many_ times,”

Jack leaned closer to him, “Are you embarrassed?”

Aku pushed Jack over and Jack laughed, sitting back up and smiling at him, “Truly, I do understand. You do not need to be embarrassed,”

Aku squinted again, resting his head on his knees. Jack took one of Aku’s wrists and gently ran his thumbs over the red mark the wire had left.

“Who put these here?” Jack asked, “I do not think it was Ana,”

“I have no idea.” Aku said grumpily, “ _Gods_ ,” he growled, “I cannot live like this!”

“In the interest of progress,” Jack said in a teasing voice, “What happens if you kill me? Or if I die? Won’t you get your powers back?”

Aku reared back and punched him in the shoulder. Jack burst out laughing.

“Ahah! There you are!” he said, smirking.

Aku squinted, “ _That_. Is not an option. I do not know what would happen. I do not _want_ to know what would happen.”

Jack smiled, “You would rather have me over your powers?” He teased.

Aku glared. Jack smirked like he’d won, but Aku cupped his face.

“Would you rather have _me_ or your _sword_?”

Jack's eyes grew wide. For a moment he didn’t know what to say, but then without his permission he blurted, “If I knew I could be true to myself and have you as my friend? Yes.”

Aku raised his eyebrows in surprise. Jack felt his face burn.

“We _are_ still friends?” Jack asked in a meeker voice then he meant too.

“Yes,” Aku said sharply and then, more softly, “…and yes,”

Jack smiled before abruptly being pushing away into the leaves.

“But do not ask me to repeat that because I will _deny_ it!”

Jack laughed, and got to his feet. Aku didn’t move and for a moment Jack assumed that he would just move him again.

But…

“Stand up,” he said softly, holding out his hand, “I know you can,”

Aku blinked at him suspiciously, but he took the hand anyway and let Jack pull him to his feet. He grimaced again but Jack could already see the color coming back into his face.

Jack lead him back to the house, watching the ground with much more dark suspicion than he’d ever had before in or around Ana’s home.

Aku made it into the living room before collapsing onto the couch.

“Are you alright?”

“Food.” Was his only answer.

Jack scoffed and smiled, “I did not realize I was your housewife,”

Aku spun around and glared, “That is so sexist! You can be my house _husband!_ Gods, you are from another time aren’t you?”

Jack blushed and rolled his eyes, “Stop talking. I will get you food.”

“Thank you,” Aku smirked, waited for Jack to be in the kitchen before chuckling, “ _House husband_ ,”

“I am _not_ deaf!”

“Good,”

Aku fell asleep waiting for Jack to bring him food, along with another cup of Ana’s tea. He was being surprisingly patient, for _Aku_ anyway, and Jack found the strange position he’d put himself into very endearing. Face pressed into a pillow with his arms under his head and his legs bent oddly over the side of the couch. He was too tall to sleep there, yet he was completely out. Again.

This left Jack to wonder for a bit. Who had put that trap outside? It was too much to be coincidence. But he would have to investigate tomorrow because now he was too nervous to leave Aku alone in the house. Now he was a house husband _and_ the secret service. Great. He smiled despite himself and set the food out on the coffee table when he was a finished. The smell woke him up.

“Good, thank..” he mumbled, forcing himself to move out of his cramped pose.

“You are welcome,” Jack said amused, “Aku…”

“Hmm?” he said, drinking the now cold tea like he was dying of thirst.

“I do not mean to… Be rude, or mock you. But I do not understand why you panicked today. I mean, specifically, and not the other times. You were caught in that net when we first started traveling together, and you did not seem to panic then?”

Aku looked away.

“Oh,” Jack nodded, “I did not know you well. There was the, the Shadow Sisters at the club. Did you panic then?”

Aku raised his eyebrows. No. It hadn’t occurred to him to panic. All he could think about was getting back to Jack. He felt his face heat up and saw Jack lean away from him in shock.

“What?!” Aku shouted, struggling not to cover his own face with his hands, even as Jack stared at him like he’d just grown a second head. Jack smiled and shook his head.

“Nothing, so you did panic then as well?”

“No,” he corrected angrily, “This was _worse_ , I could not move my legs _or_ my arms. It reminds me of—” Aku grunted angrily, crossing his arms over himself.

Jack just waited. he knew Aku would eventually say what he was thinking as long as he didn’t feel threatened by Jack.

“Trapped so long in that tree...”

Jack looked at him sideways, just barely stopping himself from gawking. That _tree_? The tree Jack’s father had trapped him in all that time ago? Jack looked away, determined to hide the surprise he felt knowing that something as simple as entrapment had had _any_ affect on the demon.

“Jack?”

Jack turned, forcing a small smile in hope that Aku would not see through it and be further upset. Aku raised his eyebrows and Jack sighed.

“Sorry,” he said quietly. “I just did not... I did not realize.”

Aku didn’t respond. He was still very afraid that bringing up their past would nullify all that had occurred between them since Nebula had appeared. Jack leaned against him and Aku peered down at him in surprise.

“It is nice to know these things about you,” Jack admitted

Aku shifted uncomfortably

“Not to use against you, Aku,” he added, correctly reading Aku’s silence.

“Why?”

Jack leaned back to peer up at him, “You have spent all of your existence hiding or diminishing anything inside yourself that could even be interpreted as weakness,”

Aku blinked, shrugging, “Of course. Do you not?”

Jack smiled and shook his head, “Weaknesses are often a viewpoint. And flaws are not the same thing,”

Aku furrowed his brows and Jack smiled again, “As an example,” he said, reaching out for Aku’s hand. He put his food down and let him, giving him a confused look. Jack took it and held it palm up, gently tracing the layers of electrical scars it now bore, “Nebula views your... ah.. attachment? To me, as a weakness,”

Aku blinked, watching Jack’s fingers on his hand, “Is it not?” He wondered out loud, “When he has successfully used it against me ?”

“No, it is not. He used it to his advantage, which I know makes more sense to you than to _not_ do that…but do you really see _me_ as a weakness?”

Aku balked at him in surprise, rapidly blinking, struggling to find an answer. Jack laughed softly, “You know that I am capable of defending myself, I know you do,”

Aku grimaced.

“If I were not here to help you, would you have already defeated Nebula?”

“Is that some kind of trick question?”

“No,” Jack shook his head, “Maybe you would have already if I had not been in your way somehow? I do not know what you see.”

Aku studied him for a long moment before turning his head away, “Ah, no. I think he would have killed me a long time ago.”

Jack jerked, “I do not need you to lie to keep from offending me—“

Aku glared at him and Jack snapped his mouth shut.

“You keep me _focused_. You allow me to face challenges that otherwise would never reach me, _Sa-mu-rai_. If I had not been ready for those attacks?” He shrugged nonchalantly, “I _am_ brilliant, perhaps I would have survived.”

Jack slowly nodded, unsure how to respond to that, he continued.

“W-well... I would not be able to defeat Nebula alone. I do not understand how he works and he is not as clever as you. It is impossible for me to predict his actions when he wants nothing but destruction. You had-have goals, things to maintain.”

Aku hummed thoughtfully, “Are you saying that Nebula is a greater demon than I am, Jack?”

Jack laughed, “Is that what you worry about?”

Aku pretended to glare.

“No, Aku, if anything he is much less of a demon than you. I.. think.” He said squinting, “I meant that to sound like a compliment.

Aku smiled.

“So do you see me as a weakness?” Jack asked again.

Aku thought for another few moments, “No. The intrinsic value of our partnership is much more valuable than the persisting fear of you dying.”

Jack scoffed and nodded, “Thank you?”

Aku looked at him, “But am I a weakness to you?”

Jack squinted, “Of course not,”

Aku gave him a knowing smile, one that made Jack feel very chilled, “Not while I am also human?”

Jack frowned, “No, Aku, we are still friends.”

“Jack…”

“What?”

“What is the value of friends vs. family?”

Jack paled, “Aku… that is not..”

“You are only speaking of the short term.” Aku said nodding, “When this is all over...” he shuttered, and Jack watched in horror as Aku’s eyes darkened, staring into a vision of the future that jack could not see. “The cut of your blade will burn all the more,”

Jack hissed, “Why must you think such things? Did you not _ask_ me to be your _advisor_?”

“When you must wake up, on the other side of this hiccup in the way of your journey, will you be able to strike me down?” Despite Jack’s anger Aku smiled morbidly and asked, “Do you expect me to _let_ you go back home?”

Jack froze. Shaking slightly.

“Being my friend does not give indulgences for you to undo everything I have _ever_ done. At least, I do not think I can allow you to kill me as part of this deal, _Jack_. I know you say, you do not want to… But you never answered my question.

“Aku,” Jack sighed, rubbing his face, “You are _so_ aggressive,”

He shrugged confusedly, “I suppose that is aggressive. Would you rather I lie?”

“No!” Jack said, putting his food down and circling the table to sit beside him.

“Stop talking, Aku, _Please_ …” he groaned.

“I am your weakness then, am I not? Jack...”

“But you have changed!”

“So have you,”

“Could you stay human for _me_?”

Aku froze, away back to look at Jack properly in the face. Jack was grimacing, holding back either tears or screams, Aku was not sure.

“We would never be able to get rid of Nebula,” he said.

Jack stared at him openly, “Is that your only qualm with it?!”

Aku sighed, looking away, “No. Of course it isn’t. I would wonder forever if you actually cared for _me_ or a _version_ of me.”

“I do care about you,” he said, irritably, “There must be a way!”

“There is no way for you to kill me and for us to remain as we are. It is a _contradiction_ ,”

“I do not want to kill you!!” He yelled, grasping him by the shoulders, “Aku!”

Aku flinched in surprise.

“You- you keep comparing your relationship with that of my family, when I have _already_ told you that I spent more time with you than—” Jack tilted his head down, shaking and trying to calm himself. He looked up after a few moments, tense, “Do you still want to kill me?”

Aku smiled, “Not usually,”

Jack snickered, sliding his arms around Aku’s shoulders.

“Why can you not just… let me _be_ ,” Jack complained without heat.

“Perhaps we should set ground rules,” Aku said, pushing Jack off him and petting through his hair. Jack squinted at him.

“Ground rules?”

“When I am me again, I can give you.. what a twenty second head start?”

Jack laughed again, “ _Aku_!”

“Fine, then! How long?”

“Shut up,” Jack said shaking his head, “…If you chase me, a-as yourself,” Jack said, looking away, “I hope it is for _other_ reasons.”

Aku paused, staring at Jack to be sure he had understood that correctly and then snorted.

“You did _say_ ,”

“I know what I said,”

“Did you only say that because of what was happening?”

Aku smiled, “No.”

Jack went red, but smiled back anyway, “Good. Now shut up and eat the food,”

Aku snickered.

Aku fell asleep again right after they finished eating and Jack cleaned. Once he was finished, he took some time to eye Aku judgmentally from the doorframe of the kitchen. Aku obviously did not believe that Jack was not going to hurt him. He found it quite backwards that _he_ was the one trying to convince _Aku_ that they were not fighting anymore. This was a block their immediate goals. In order to trust each other, Aku needed to trust him as much as Jack needed to trust Aku.

He walked back into the living room and picked him up off the couch. Aku made a confused noise, but did not try to stop Jack from taking them both downstairs into their room. Jack washed his face and tried to relax, wondering if he would ever actually be able to relax again.

“What are you plotting?” Aku asked from the bed.

“Plotting things is what _you_ do,” Jack told him, picking up a pillow and throwing it at him before sitting on the edge of the bed and crossing his legs. Aku smirked, propping himself up on the pillow.

“So… speaking of plotting, Samurai,” Aku said in a low voice.

Jack looked over at him and felt heat growing in his face. Aku did that sometimes, laid back on the bed and propped his head up, bending his legs just enough to show off his hips _and_ legs. His hair had fallen into his face. It was something he’d seen Ikra do so long ago.

“Yes?” He said, swallowing.

“Did you mean what you said earlier? About chasing you?” He asked, his black fingernails running elegantly over his beard. He watched Jack’s reactions carefully.

Jacks eyes went wide. He noticed that Aku’s pupils were dilated, his eyes were hooded, and his voice had gone low. That was what that was. _Sultry_.

Jack couldn’t believe that he’d managed to figure out what was happening. It usually took longer to pick up on it. Unless he said something so blunt that Jack couldn’t even bring himself respond to it anyway.

“You are... flirting with me?”

Aku scoffed, “I do that quite a lot,”

Jack smiled shyly, “I know. I…” he coughed awkwardly, “I did not realize you put so much effort into it,”

Aku laughed, “ _What_?”

Jack swallowed, blinking rapidly, torn between being embarrassed and engaging in this _interesting_ conversation.

“You look,” he coughed again, “You look very good,” he said, going very red.

Aku smirked devilishly and laid on his back, putting his arms behind his head as he tilted his head back, “IS that so?”

Jack looked away, setting his hands on his knees like he was trying to ground himself.

Aku just laughed, “You did not answer my question!”

“What? What question?”

“Chasing you,” he growled,

Jack’s stomach swept low and he shivered, “Chasing me,”

“ _Yes_ ,” he purred, “I _like_ that idea,” he told him, as if it weren’t glaringly obvious, “We could play cat and mouse _all day_ if it makes you happy,”

Jack smiled and gave him a fake glare, “What do you want?”

“I want you to blush bright red, and look at me _just_ like that,” he said happily, “I _love_ that angry look on your face,”

Jack rolled his eyes, “Do you? That explains a _lot_ ,”

Aku closed his eyes and stretched, carding his fingers through his own hair. He was in a very good mood now. He’d noticed this before, after he and Jack had arguments or some sort of sexual encounter, that he felt more comfortable with him afterwords. Like it grew easier each time, but he had yet to put together why it could be arguments _or_ good conversations.

And, even though his burns were very upset with him, overall he felt much better. Jack seemed to be lost in his own thoughts so he gave up his squirming and looked up at the ceiling. Well, he may as well ask since he couldn’t seem to distract Jack at the moment.

“Do you feel…um,” he squinted, searching for words, but none came to him, “Better? After you feel weak. In front of me I mean?”

Jack hummed, “What do you mean?”

“I do not know. It has only ever happened with you.”

“What has?”

“When something happens, ah, I am injured for instance. Or today, when I was trapped. After it is over I feel some… thing? After. But only towards you. Otherwise I would be very angry, I think.”

Jack peered at him and smiled a little, “So you do trust me?”

Aku shrugged, “Is that what that means?”

Jack thought for a moment and Aku could see the hint of redness growing around his ears. He raised an eyebrow.

“That too,” he agreed.

“What? I did not say anything…”

“During and after we have sex. That same thing. Whatever it is.”

Jack balked at him and then looked away again, biting his lip. Aku took that as agreement.

“Is sex a trust exercise?” Aku asked, sounding to Jack, painfully casual.

“Ah! You do not- you…” he rolled his eyes.

“What??” He shrugged, “I am _asking_ you,”

Jack swallowed and chewed his lip seeming to struggle with his own thoughts. Aku twitched his fingers impatiently.

“Ah-you? Ah… You will not answer my questions,” Jack said, glaring at the floor.

Aku paused, thinking for a moment before tapping the sheets to get his attention.

“I will answer the question. Whatever it is. _And_ I will do it truthfully, _if_ you do the same for me,” he said in a sinister whisper, like he was making a contract for Jack's mortal soul.

Jack found the voice darkly alluring and nodded before he realized what he was doing. Aku smirked triumphantly.

“What is your_”

“Oh no, ask yours first.” Aku insisted, smirking.

“Okay...”

“Mm?” Aku stared into his eyes with burning interest and Jack couldn’t handle the intensity. He didn’t think he’d ever be used to that.

“When you saved me from the Shadow Sisters,” he coughed awkwardly, “I had such a strange.. mixture of emotions. Because it was _you_ who saved me, and—you… You were so _angry_ ,”

Aku blinked, “Of course I was angry,”

“But I had just abandoned you!” Jack said, going red and looking ashamed.

Aku tilted his head, looking back and forth in confusion, “I do not understand.”

“You have saved me _many_ times now,”

Aku’s eyes went wide and he bit his lip. Oh Gods, he should have _known_ that this was what Jack would want to know.

Jack looked him up and down, “I… I like you,” he said shyly, “But do you like me? I-I mean… You told me that you wanted me to stay with you. Why? Why did you save me? Why, of all the people in all the worlds—”

Aku glared Jack frowned.

“ _Why_?”

Aku rolled his eyes, “I wanted to,”

“It is just that?”

“Yes! _Fool_! You think I am incapable of—?” He sighed, looking away, “I would not let you so close to me if I did not want you here. I would not have helped you. I would not have _let you fuck me_ ,”

Jack sighed, shaking his head, “You did not _let_ me, did you? You… you wanted me to…”

Aku saw the color draining from his lips and sat up, leaning into Jack’s space.

“Of course I wanted you to do it, I told you I wanted you to do it,”

Jack blinked, chewing his cheek, “I… did not feel like…”

“What?”

Jack struggled.

“ _What_!?”

“I do not like thinking that you think this is a game! I would- I did not- Ah!” He sighed, “I did not ‘ _fuck you’,_ that sounds like I did something _to_ you and not _with_ you,”

Aku’s eyes were very very wide. He struggled for a second before snorting, his eyes watering. Jack glared.

“Aku!”

“Sorry! I was not expecting you to curse!” He sighed, smiling happily, “Ahhh, amazing.”

Jack growled at him.

“I do not feel that you _did_ anything _to_ me. At least not recently, with any bad intentions.” he smirked, and Jack stared determinedly at the floor. Aku reached out and turned his face back by his chin.

“I like you,” he said, tilting his head down and raising his eyebrows, “I am not playing a game,”

“You… swear?” He asked sadly, sounding horribly immature to himself.

Aku smiled, “I swear,” he announced, and dramatically crossed his heart.

Jack smiled, nodding.

“You aren’t asking me for the millionth time, why I saved you so many times?”

“Was it not because you liked me?”

Aku smiled coyly, “nooooo,” he said sarcastically, looking away as if he were offended, “Of course noooot,”

“Stop it,” Jack laughed.

Aku threw himself back into his spot, crossing his arms behind his head again.

“Sex is not a trust exercise,” Jack said quickly and quietly.

Aku laughed, “Fine, _fine_ ,”

“What.. what is _your_ question?”

“ _My_ question,” Aku said, looking at Jack who was still desperately trying to hide from him, “Do you prefer me,” he motioned vaguely to himself, “or Ikra?”

Jack looked up just in time to see the flash of insecurity before it was squashed behind the air of arrogant confidence. The _honesty_ of that little flash filled him with a strange warmth. Jack smiled shyly, trying to swallow his own fear. Oddly, that answered _his_ question more so then Aku’s answer, even if it had been truthful.

“I promised to tell you the truth,”

“Yes,” Aku agreed, seeming to vibrate in anticipation.

“Ah,” Jack laughed, and took a sharp breath to force out what he knew before he could stop himself, “I… I… You, are very handsome as.. as a demon,”

Aku’s eyes went wide. That was _not_ what he had asked and he had _not_ expected it. He froze in place, all twitching ceasing, amazed.

Jack swallowed, his eyes were nearly shut because he was terrified of the expression he would get, “You are very beautiful as Ikra, ah, I liked being in her company. However... to… to answer your question? _No_.”

Aku seemed to have stopped breathing, “No?”

“No,” Jack agreed softly, “I like this form because I know it is you and...”

Aku shifted anxiously.

“I… like your voice,” he whispered and then immediately covered his face with his hands. He heard the small gasp of surprise.

Aku paused for a moment. Absolutely stunned by the answer he’d just gotten. The rush was so intense he thought for a moment he’d lost his vision. He bit his lip.

Jack was suddenly over him.

“Wha-what?” Aku asked, smiling, “I thought you were ignoring my advances?”

Jack fake glared again, “Advances? No. You are driving me crazy,”

“Tch,” Aku shrugged, “It is easy to get on your nerves,”

“No, Aku,” he said, frustratedly, “You are driving me _crazy_.”

Aku stopped moving, looking up at him, “You are surprisingly bold for a man who cannot say the word ‘sex’ without being embarrassed,” he observed,

“Usually you say things when we are… not in a position to do anything about it.” Jack told him, and even though he was still red in the face, his eyes wandered a lot more confidently. Aku was obviously enjoying the attention and restarted his tauntingly sensual stretch. Jack sighed, resting his forehead against Aku’s.

“What do you want me to do?” Aku asked.

“Hmm?”

Aku laughed, arching his back and languidly drawing his fingernails over Jack’s shoulders, baring his teeth, “ _What do you want me to do_?”

Jack stared at him like he’d just eaten food in front of Jack while he was starving to death.

Aku smiled, “Well?”

“I…”

Jack flushed darker and Aku was amazed that Jack could spare that much blood to turn that color.

“What do you want to do…?” Jack asked.

“You.” He said biting smirking. When Jack continued to stare at him, he snapped his teeth deviously. Jack's eyes focused on his lips then and all the desire focused solely on them...

But he couldn’t ask... he didn’t even know _how_ to ask.

“Show me?” Aku said after another long pause.

Jack smiled and covered his face again. This time Aku took advantage of Jack’s lack of awareness to bite just him just at the joint of his neck and shoulder. Jack's whole body arched in surprise and he grasped the headboard. Aku suctioned the skin there, making sure to leave another mark. Jack jerked and Aku wrapped his arms and legs around him so he couldn’t just move out of the way. He let go and sighed, kissing further up until he could nip at his ear. Jack was shivering.

“You are okay?” Aku asked seductively into his ear, not pausing for an answer before drawing an outline around it with his tongue.

“Hah..Ah-yes,” Jack mumbled embarrassedly.

Come on Sa-mu-rai,” Aku purred, “Show me what you _need_ me to do to you…” Aku blinked and then smiled a little more softly, “W _ith_ you.”

Jack’s eyes went wide and he smiled, leaning down to kiss him heatedly. There was a burn in his ribs that had nothing to do with how aroused he was but he shook it from his mind.

“I... I want.. but I don’t want to do anything you do not want to do,”

“I’ll tell you. Show me.”

He pushed Aku’s arms off and untangled himself from his legs to crawl backwards enough to kneel. Aku sat up again. Jack motioned for him to come closer and Aku raised an eyebrow with a twitch, rushing forward, restarting the kiss.

Jack reached up carefully and put a hand on Aku’s cheek, sliding it delicately up through his hair and then pushed him down lightly. Aku’s eyes went wide for a second before they lit up with a venomous fire as he sank down over Jack, kissing him as he went down.

He slid his fingers into Jack’s belt and untied it, pushing open his gi, struggling not to grin as he kissed over Jack’s scarred skin, over his pectorals. Jack settled into a more comfortable position, still finger combing Aku’s hair. Aku peered up at him and ran his teeth just barely over his skin. Jack twitched, closing his eyes and let out a broken sigh. Aku ran his hands down Jack’s sides, drawing his tongue down his abs and tasting instant satisfaction at the taste of him, of how solid and strong Jack felt under his tongue.

Curious as Aku was, it was difficult for him to decide if he wanted to tease Jack or shock him with full on enthusiasm. Both seemed like a good option. So he continued kissing and gently drawing his teeth against Jack's muscular stomach. Jack sighed as Aku clawed at his hips, glancing down to see how painfully hard Jack had become. Aku smiled at the compliment and smirked devilishly up at Jack. Jack looked absolutely dizzy with excitement. Aku slid his fingers through the sides of the fundoshi, playfully running his fingertips gently down at Jack's hips and thighs, only to claw at him again. Aku pressed his mouth to the outline of his cock and Jack jumped. Aku undid the fundoshi and tossed it aside. 

Was this really not a trust exercise? Maybe that wording was wrong, like ‘doing to vs. with’, because as Aku’s mouth watered he wondered how much trust it must take for Jack to let his- to _want_ his Demon’s mouth on his cock. He didn’t have terribly sharp fangs at the moment, but still. Aku drew a fingertip up the shaft of Jack’s cock, all the way to the head, watching as Jack’s whole body tensed in pleasure. Jack who was hiding behind his hand again as Aku carefully and loosely wrapped fingers around him and stroked him up and down.

Jack’s brow furrowed and his lips parted. Aku’s free hand gripped his thigh and as Jack produced precome he pulled down more tightly, and Jack softly moaned.

Okay, to hell with teasing Jack, it was starting to drive him crazy too.

Aku paused, and waited for Jack to look down at him before sliding his mouth down over him. Jack's mouth opened in a silent “O” before he quivered in a sharp wave and shifted like he might fall.

“Ah, _Gods_ ,” he moaned. Aku took a moment to make sure he was not too close to his skin with his teeth and swiped his tongue across him. Hearing another moan he swirled his tongue over the head. Jack groaned. He felt Jack's fingers lace through his hair to pull him up and Aku quickly rose up and fell back down again. He was high on the fact that Jack kept making such nice noises...

“Gods- I-ah,” Jack muttered, “Th-that feels so good,” he whispered, shivering.

Aku tried not to smile, taking him further into his mouth and feeling his fingers trying _so hard_ not to dig into his scalp. Oh Jack, so sweet, as usual. He hummed to keep himself from laughing.

“GKN—” Jack fell back off his hands, away from Aku, and completely red in the face. Aku blinked in confusion for a second, still leaning forward in position before sitting up and smiling. They both laughed.

“Are you okay?” Aku asked, eyebrows raised,

Jack nodded, licking his lips, “Sorry,”

Aku laughed and shrugged, “Are you more comfortable now?”

“Y-yes,” Jack said, smiling embarrassedly.

“Good,” Aku said, chasing him forward, balancing himself on one hand and drew him back into his mouth.

“Ah!” Jack whisper yelled, struggling to stay quiet.

Aku squinted at him. They were alone after all. Why be quiet on purpose?

He drew his tongue over the head of his cock before suctioning his lips and humming as he sank down. Jack’s hands were instantly in his hair again.

“A-AkU!”

Oh Gods, _yes_ , that was better.

Aku palmed himself through his pants with the hand he was not using for balance. The sounds Jack was making were starting to make his own erection painful. But he did not continue, as he was too determined to drive Jack up the wall _first_. He continued this combination, watching Jack arch his back and feeling him gripping his hair. Jack gasped, mumbling and Aku peered up at him.

“Hn,”

Aku waited for a moment but Jack just dropped his head back, groaning. Aku pulled off again.

“Jack, what? Tell me what you want,” he growled, wrapping his fingers around him again in place of his mouth, it was easy now to stroke him up and down now so he squeezed just a little harder.

“Ah.. faster, _please_ …” Jack said softly and Aku smirked at him with hooded eyes.

He slid his hand back to the base and, more gently, down over his balls teasing him. He licked him from the head of his cock all the way down and back up. Aku waited for Jack to close his eyes again, furrowing his brow as he spun back into a state of ecstasy. Then Jack was surprised again when he started going down on him again. He sank as low as he could, dragging his tongue across Jack’s skin, and then pulled up and off completely before sinking back down, humming all the while.

Jacks eyes watered, his _voice_ , the _feeling_ of his voice, made his head spin. He shut his eyes, groaning and in the dark, images flashed in front of him. Like a strange blurry dream, he saw himself and Aku from a different angle and as it clarified his Aku shifted. He saw Aku, as his demon self, drawing on him like he was right now. The noise- the purr- that only Aku could make, shook through him like a wave and Jack hit his head against the mattress.

“A-Aku!” He cried, curling his toes, and letting go of his hair so that he did not hurt him. He fisted the blankets instead, “That! Ah-that is so good- _Aku_ ,” he moaned.

Aku’s eyes went wide. Heat stormed through him at the compliments, driving him on, and oh _Gods_ the noises Jack was making.. the way he kept saying his name with such gorgeous _desperation_. He growled and Jack failed to stifle a cry as it shot through him.

“I-I-close!” he stuttered in warning.

Aku narrowed his eyes and Jack ran his fingers through his hair again.

“Aku- I- I am close-”

But Aku would rather choke than miss the end of this.

He drew his tongue along the underside, all the way over his head, before sliding as far down as he could. He wanted to do more, so much more, but he couldn’t balance himself as it was. So he growled once more, as roughly as he could muster and Jack gasped, arching and throwing his head back against the bed as he came.

Aku was surprised momentarily by the heat and the amount of it, but, refusing to do anything halfway, he swallowed.

Jack gasped again, shaking in aftershocks.

Apparently he had not expected him to do that. Only when Jack was twitching with overstimulation did he finally let go, gasping. Jack grasped at his arms and Aku let him pull him closer, moving his weight off his hand and knees. He smiled. Jack was still panting hard, still shuttering on and off.

Aku felt a wave of tiredness hit him and he pressed his face against Jack. He hadn’t been paying attention to how long he'd been in a sort of weird position and now his muscles were stiff, but Jack’s heart was pounding so hard he could feel it, and he felt very satisfied to have done this to Jack. _—With_ Jack.

“Your turn,” Jack told him softly, Aku blinked in surprise, not even bothering to struggle when Jack sat up and pushed Aku onto his back.

“Are you not tired?” Aku asked, blinking,

Jack climbed between his legs and kissed him, drawing his tongue across Aku’s lips.

Aku smiled a little blearily, kissing him back.

“No,” Jack whispered, leaning back to undo the buttons on Aku’s black shirt. Aku sat up slightly so Jack could pull it down off his arms and then Jack cupped his face, turning his head to the side and kissing him just under his jawline. Aku’s knees bent slightly, his eyes rolling pleasantly as he tilted his head back further. Jack kissed down to his shoulder and over his collar bone, brushing his lips delicately over him.

Aku clawed at the bedsheets, but, unusually, he did not feel the rush he usually did. There was no burning impatience at the moment, he just wanted to feel.

“Aku,”

“Yes?”

“Do you want me to, well, can I leave a mark as well?”

Aku’s eyes flew open, though he didn’t dare move besides that, “ _yes_ ,” he groaned fingers spreading to claw at the blankets.

Jack sighed contentedly against his neck, mouthing at the sensitive skin there, seeking something that would make Aku squirm, if he could. He drew his tongue over the healed lightning scars and felt Aku twitch beneath him. As Aku had done to him, he suctioned the skin there and heard a small hiss. Aku’s fingernails ran up his biceps on either side and over his shoulder blades. So that was where he bit down.

“ _Oh_ ,” Aku said, sounding suddenly much more awake. Jack stayed put, kissing that same spot, not sure if he’d managed to leave a bruise yet. He did not think so, so he drew an outline over his skin like he was outlining the mark he was about to put there.

Aku’s eyes hooded and he grinned. Knowing that Jack wanted to leave a mark on _him_ , somewhere other people could see, was painfully arousing enough without the realization that Jack was going to take his sweet time working that symbol into him with his teeth. More than willing to hurt him if it would make _him_ happy. He bent his fingers into Jack’s back and drew swirling lines over his skin, not quite hard enough to leave a line, but Jack shivered all the same. Aku grimaced when Jack bit down again, harder than the last time, pressing the kiss into him.

He let out another low purr and Jack released him, pulling back to see what he had done. Aku smirked, “Is it pretty?”

Jack blushed and laughed, Aku pulled the pin from his hair and pulled him down to kiss him again. Jack ran his hands over Aku’s shoulders and arms as they continued their kiss. Jack’s lip was still sore and he was certain they would be painfully chapped soon, but it just did not matter. His hair stood on end every time Aku sighed. Even though the air was cold, his skin remained hot, and he was dizzy with the smoky cologne whatever it was. Aku’s hands in his hair, the way he moved, the feeling of his heart racing and the light buzzing just under his skin… was perfect.

Rather unwillingly he pulled away from Aku’s dark lips and closed eyes to travel back down his neck, kissing the quickly blooming bruise once, causing Aku to jerk, before tracing down in the direction of his sternum.

Aku watched Jack, curling his fingers through his long hair. Jack seemed fascinated with the lines all up and down his sides. Now that they were healed, it felt so raw and intimate for him to pay such attention to them. Especially since… they were _for_ him, weren’t they?

Unlike Jack, he had no problem watching his partner descend into debauchery. Actually, he was tense with pleasant anticipation. Thinking of yesterday, when he’d completely succumbed to the strangely sweet lust in Jack’s dark eyes. He wondered if Jack knew how much Jack could do to him with that power. He smiled.

Jack followed the lines down like he was reading a map and then as he found his path blocked, undid his belt buckle. He encouraged Aku to lift his hips so he could pull off the rest of his clothes—except his socks, because he didn’t want to accidentally hurt him. Jack’s hands slid up Aku’s inner thighs with agonizing gentleness and Jack left kisses down his hip where there was a small line from where his clothes had been pressed against his skin to follow the trail of lines.

“Do…”

“Yes?” Jack asked, blinking like he’d been woken up.

“You like the scars?” he asked curiously, pushing Jack’s hair out of his eyes.

“I-I,” Jack went a little red, “Is that not—”

Aku chuckled, “It is fine, I just sort of thought they were…”

Jack blinked up at him, sliding his hands over his hips just to feel his skin.

Aku shrugged slightly, “Unattractive, perhaps…”

Jack shook his head, “No, they are not,” he whispered, “I like them,” he admitted, continuing his exploration.

Jack paused after a moment and smirked up at him.

“What?”

“You are very beautiful,” Jack said.

Aku jolted on the spot, grasping the sheets, “Jack! Stop that,”

Jack bit his lip, looking so adorably devious with his hair on his face and his dark lips smiling.

“Do you mean that?”

Aku threw his head back and sighed, “ _No_ ,”

Jack snickered, “Why do you get so angry when I compliment you?”

Aku sighed, “I…I do not know.”

“Aku,”

“What?”

“I do mean it,”

Aku squinted at him.

“You are very handsome,”

Jack took a second to watch Aku this time, as he twitched, and caught just the hint of an expression. So he tried again.

“Is.. Is beautiful a better word?”

“Gh-” Aku’s face went just _slightly_ red, he grimaced, bent his knees, and furrowed his brows, though his pupils were dilated enough to make his irises thin green rings of light.

“Does it feel good when I say that?” Jack asked, genuinely curious, though he went back to his gentle caresses and small kisses.

“Does it not feel good when I compliment _you_?” Aku asked, fingering through Jack’s hair like a nervous twitch.

“Of course it does, but… I mean… Physically?”

“Ah…”

Jack looked up at him again, “Aku,—”

“It is just _you_!” he said, cutting Jack off, “I never expect you to say such things to _me_ ,” he groaned.

Jack smiled at how Aku’s cock had become so hard just from the talking that it was twitching slightly, already slick, and Jack didn’t want to torment him any more. Tonight. So he curled his fingers around the head and slid his hand down firmly, receiving an alluring gasp of pleasure for it. He worked his fist up and down his cock firmly, seeing that he was already shivering and panting.

Jack slid his left hand up his hip and torso and pushed at Aku’s right hand. Taking hold of it, he interlaced their fingers. Jack did not think Aku was going to last much longer and he wanted to be able to pay better attention to what was about to happen. He took Aku’s cock into his mouth and drew him in tightly. Aku bowed slightly, squeezing Jack’s hand as he gasped like he’d been winded. Jack moved up and down more quickly than the last time and used his free hand to roll his balls with his fingers.

“ _Jack_ ,” Aku gasped, drawing his sharp fingernails over Jack’s scalp. Jack sank down on him further and pulled up again, moving faster. He was reminded so sharply of that night in the shower, of the maze, when he’d pushed Aku over the edge.

He sank as far as he could, his eyes nearing watering, watching him squirm. Aku squeezed his hand, and Jack could see the telltale signs of his approaching orgasm. He was memorizing them now, burning them into his mind. The way he tensed his abdominal muscles, lips twitched on the left corner, eyelids fluttered closed and that very _particular_ noise he made that was not quite a moan or a growl. There was a light charge in the air and Jack could feel his own hair standing on end. His eyes flitted to Aku’s fingers and, as he had hoped, they shifted, elongating into gracefully deadly claws. Aku's eyes glowed bright enough that he could see green light even with his eyes mostly shut.

Jack sped up a little more, working his tongue against the underside of his cock and Aku gasped, tensing every muscle like a shock, shaking and vibrating. The darkness spread up his arms in a tangle, and as his mouth opened and he cried out, “ _Jack_!” Jack could see Aku’s canines were curved into points, just before he snapped his mouth shut and came.

As Aku had done for him, Jack swallowed him down, feeling the burning heat and shaking pulse slow. Then he gingerly released Aku’s cock and cleared his throat, blushing furiously. He nervously blinked up at him.

Aku was still gasping and his eyes were now closed.

Jack noticed with amazement that his claws were still black and, he noted, had _not_ cut into his skin. The little sparks like static that moved through the air. He saw as they crackled against his own skin that they too, caused him no harm.

“Aku,” Jack whispered, his throat a little raw.

Aku shivered and looked down at him, his green eyes went wide at the sight of his own hand, and actually, most of both his arms.

“ _Right_ ,” he said, completely thrown.

“You… are so handsome,” Jack told him, “ _Amazing_ ,”

Aku scoffed embarrassedly, and turned his head away, though Jack could see him smiling.

Aku fell out of bed the next morning and was determined to clean himself off. Especially since Jack liked to _cling_ to him when they were sleeping, he felt a little sticky from sweat. He closed the door and flipped on the light, catching a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror.

He _looked_ like he’d just had sex. He smirked at his own reflection, turning to see the mark Jack had left. His hair was wild and sticking out in all odd directions, his lips were chapped and red, and he had a particular glow. Not like his eyes glowed, but his skin, he looked much happier than he remembered. He snickered and rubbed his face with his palms before punching the shower on and finger combing his hair.

He found, that he could not stop smiling. Jack had tried to _stop_ him from leaving the bed.

“noooo,” he’d whined when Aku pulled away from him, still mostly asleep. Jack was still very strong. Stronger than Aku was, and it took some serious squirming to escape. He wasn’t entirely sure what about that was making him so happy, but as he stretched himself out, he found he didn’t really care. If every day could start like this, he would be a lot less angry.

His thoughts drifted as he got clean, to all that had happened, playing scenes over and over in his mind like some wild movie. His joyful high was cut short again by that same damn thought.

What was going to happen when this was over?

He paused scrubbing his hair to give the bath tiles a sulky look. The sex was nice. It was easy to forget problems while _that_ was happening. He leaned against the wall with a sigh. They couldn’t play house forever. Nebula was still out there, also healing, or plotting, or whatever he did. They needed to leave soon or they would put Ana in a lot of danger, again, and he He was getting better quickly, and although his hands had shifted back into human hands in his sleep, he could feel his magic _just_ that bit closer. Trust exercises, so-called friendships, all these words and explanations, did not make him feel good afterwords. After the happiness of the moment was over he just could not help but fear the future. _Ironic_ as that may be.

He did not want Jack to leave. _Ever_. Nebula or not.

Jack had mentioned being his advisor again. Aku smiled a little, spitting soap out of his mouth immediately after and putting his face back under the shower. Oh, that would be nice, wouldn’t it? Going back to his castle and setting the world back in order. It would be different with Jack there, he was sure, Jack would change… everything. But he didn’t feel particular threatened by it, if Jack was on _his_ side. Who would be able to stop _them_ from playing house?

Only… Jack wanted to go home. Even if Jack did go home and keep his crazy promise of not _killing_ him in the past, then what? He would never see him again? _Was he just supposed to accept that?_

He coughed, sliding down the wall onto the floor. His stomach had turned and he wasn’t sure if he was going to be sick. Why did his mind have to always work this way? Always straight to the worst thing it could imagine. His human body didn’t seem very adapted to dealing with the amount of stress his brain processed. He didn’t want to bring it up again. Not today. Yesterday had ended so _nicely_.

He got out and dried his hair as fast as he could with a towel before throwing his clothes on and going up the steps. He didn’t want Jack to see him this way. He had to calm down first. That way the day would be _good_. Like yesterday. All he had to do was—

Jack stepped in front of the door and Aku yelped like he’d been slapped and jumped back. Jack raised an eyebrow.

“You! Are supposed to be asleep!” He said defensively.

Jack smirked, “Are you _escaping_?” he asked smugly and opened the door for him, “Go ahead, I will not stop you.”

Aku glared at him, going red in the face.

Jack shrugged, motioning for him to leave.

He didn’t move he just snarled. Jack smiled and shut the door again, walking closer and pulling on his lapels.

“Where are you going?”

“To… wander…” he mumbled angrily.

“Why would you not tell me that?”

“Because I thought you were asleep!”

“That is not the reason,” he said, raising his eyebrow again, “I got up and waited for you for a while. I thought maybe you did not feel well so I came up to make tea, but then you _ran_ up the steps,”

Aku squinted irritably.

“You were sulking again.”

Aku furrowed his brows, closed his eyes, and ground his teeth.

“Why must you torture yourself?”

He did not answer. Aku felt hands on his face and then Jack kissed him, softly, and his shoulders dropped.

“That is…manipulation,” Aku complained, frowning at him.

Jack just shrugged and walked into the kitchen.

The door was right there. He could go now, restart the day, be alone! His lips burned from the touch and he turned around and followed Jack into the kitchen with an annoyed growl. Jack put tea on the table and they sat down. Jack did not push Aku to tell him why he was ‘trying to escape’, but Aku didn’t mind. He didn’t want to talk about it anyway. It was a circular conversation that always ended in horrible disquieting vagueness.

Jack watched Aku drink his tea in a strained silence, looking secretly tortured. He knew what Aku was thinking about. _Again_. Jack had been thinking about their conversation. Besides Nebula it was the only thing he could really concentrate on. But there was so much to process… he was not sure how to feel about the fact that Aku did not seem to need to process anything. Aku just _knew_ he wanted Jack. Aku _knew_ they were supposed to be together. There wasn’t any moral dilemmas going on in _his_ head about that. He was not betraying anyone by being with Jack was he?

He cleared his mind, calming himself as he drank the tea, still aware on some level that he was not alone. At least he didn’t feel unsafe anymore.

There were things that needed to happen. They needed to get his magic back, to keep Ana safe, and get rid of Nebula. He could swear he was forgetting something but it would not come to his mind.

“I think we should try again today,” Jack told him, staring thoughtfully into his tea.

“Mmm?”

Jack looked up to see his green eyes sparkling deviously and Jack sighed, trying to keep himself from going red.

“I mean _you_ should try and use your powers again. Unless you’ve changed your mind and wish to stay human forever.”

Aku rolled his eyes.

They went back into the yard, and Jack spent a good half hour scouring the yard and garden for more traps but did not see any. Meanwhile, Aku stood in the center of the stone circle beside the fire pit and tried to feel the magic. _It is like…a dream in a way._ He thought. _I know it is there and yet I cannot quite remember how I got there…_

“I see nothing,”

“Good,” Aku said irritably, still focusing on his hands like if he glared art them long enough they would _GO. BACK. TO. NORMAL._

“The trap yesterday makes me nervous,” Jack mumbled.

“Then stop it! I need you to relax!”

Jack rolled his eyes “I _am_ relaxed. Yelling helps nothing, you know.”

“It helps me.” He said, finally turning towards him and putting his hands on his hips. Jack sighed and ran his hands over his face.

“Well you still have your fiery personality,” Jack mused,

“Hah. hah. _go away_ , _Jack,_ ”

Jack laughed.

Aku jumped and Jack fell back onto the bench. Aku twirled around in what Jack thought for a moment was accident, until he caught sight of the elated look on Aku’s face.

"Yes!" he cried, holding his hands out and curling his fingers. The fire grew and shrank with barely a twitch of his black claws. The darkness spread slowly up his arm like a glossy pointed pair of gloves.

Jack leaned back in on bench, going a little white. Aku grinned at him, but as he took in Jack’s posture, the fire extinguished. He blinked, frowning at his hands and then at Jack as his hands faded back to pale green.

"You do not look pleased, Samurai,"

"I am!" he said sadly, "I am nervous around fire,"

“You are? I have never noticed this,"

Jack smiled awkwardly. To anyone else this would be terrifying. —ah, yes. That was how he could explain it.

"You are, are _on_ fire I mean,"

“Yes! I _was_.”

"Humans do not like being on fire… and it is a little unnerving to witness. But I am not unhappy.”

“ _oh_ ," he said, crushing his disappointment and awkwardness behind a smile, “Right. Yes...”

“I do not mean to make you stop,” Jack said encouragingly.

Aku stretched his fingers out again but nothing happened.

Jack tilted his head, watching Aku furrow his brows. Just a moment ago he’d been able to do it just fine! Jack knew he was a bit nervous, but he had been nervous _before_ Aku started. So... it was not Jack that was stopping him.

“I do not feel it,” Aku said, clenching his teeth in embarrassed frustration.

“Could that be because _you_ are worried?”

He squinted at Jack.

“It stopped when you thought you had made me uncomfortable?”

Aku dropped his hands to his sides, “You are suggesting that I must also trust you? Trust you to trust _me_?”

“No, I am suggesting that perhaps you are no longer relaxed because you do not believe me when I say that _I do_ trust you,”

“Do you?”

Jack smiled shyly. He nodded and Aku looked away, nervously grinning.

“I... do not know how to fix this.”

“I will catch you if you want to fall,” Jack teased, trying to get him to calm down again.

Aku scoffed, “I am not afraid of falling!”

Jack shrugged, “You are rarely afraid of anything,”

“Yes, well—” Aku’s eyes went wide as yesterday flashed before his eyes. his lips went white.

Jack grimaced, “I am sorry! did not mean—”

“No, that...” Aku coughed, eyeing Jack up and down,“Gives me an idea. But it will be most… _unpleasant_.”

Jack squinted.

“For me.” He added, “I am... not afraid… often. Perhaps your sword, of course, but if I thought for a moment you were going to use it on me I would _leave_.”

Jack nodded for him to continue, not quite following.

“Other things would be impossible to test or toy with, without extreme cruelty... but...”

Jack and Aku sized each other up, Jack tensely wondering what horrible thing Aku was thinking, and Aku teetering on the edge of fear and the desire to overcome this outstanding obstacle.

He wanted to be a demon again. He also knew that Jack would not abuse him, even given the opportunity…

“Come with me,” he said, turning back to the house.

“What? Why?”

Aku did not respond, he just disappeared into the front door and Jack had to kick off his geta in a rush to follow him, shutting the door behind him.

Aku opened cabinet after cabinet in the kitchen, Jack pushing things back into their proper place as he whirl-winded around the house. He went down the hall to Ana’s room, opening a door and looking in before shaking his head and closing it again.

“What _are_ you doing?”

“Quiet you!” Aku barked at him, “If I do not do it now I shall never do it!” He turned to the last door in the hall and threw it open as well saying, “Ah!”

Jack peered into the room as Aku went inside. It was the workshop. A big kiln compromised a good half of one wall and the rest were covered by shelves laden with supplies. Some of the things Jack recognized, like paint, ink, brushes, canvasses, and markers, but there were also giant square sheets of colored glass, measuring instruments of all shapes and sizes, and a pile of rocks.

“If they have it...” Aku mumbled to himself, walking along the shelves.

Jack stared at jars set on one small table. They were filled with finished glass and clay beads, glittering, colorful and happy. It filled him with sadness.

“We should not be in here, this was Ania’s workshop.”

Aku paused his search, his hand between two boxes.

“Is that bad?” He asked.

Jack looked at him to check to see if he was actually asking and not just being mean on purpose. He looked confused and so Jack nodded.

“It is just-we do not have permission to be in here. Ana should be able to give us permission if she wishes. It was an important place to her Mother.”

Aku frowned, “The whole _house_ belonged to Ania,”

Jack nodded, “But her Mother’s things are in here. Her presence is very tangible,”

“I have this though,” Aku added, pulling whatever it was off the shelf.

Jack didn’t look to see what it was, he just stepped out. Aku backed away from the shelf as well but still looked lost.

“It smells like her,” Jack mumbled.

Aku’s eyes went wide, “Oh! Is that it?” He rushed out into the hall beside to close the door.

Jack blinked.

“Why did you not say _that_ first?”

“I do not know,” he shrugged, blinking, “What did you take?”

Aku held out a spool of white cord.

“Why?”

Aku grimaced and walked around him, through the living room and down the steps to the basement. Jack followed, growing more curious by the minute. Jack paused in the doorway upon seeing Aku with a knife. He turned it around, holding it out by the handle. Jack took it.

“What is this for?”

“The...” Aku was shivering just slightly.

“Are you okay?”

He nodded, sitting down take off his boots. Jack tilted his head. Looking at the cord, the knife, and the very anxious look on Aku’s face.

“No!” Jack said, reeling back, “I saw what happened to you yesterday!”

Aku grimaced, “Yes, I _remember_.”

Jack tilted his head, “You are testing me _right now_?”

Aku blinked and then laughed, “no...”

“You cannot seriously _want_ me to tie you down!”

Aku shook his head, “I do not want it, but I do not see another option that is is not immediately dangerous and or morally reprehensible,”

Jack frowned, “but...”

Aku shrugged nervously, “You got me out yesterday, you will do it again...”

Jack frowned.

Aku pursed his lips and looked away, “I-I need to hear you say you will not—”

“Of course I will not!” Jack asserted, “I swear and I _promise_ , I would not leave you tied up! I do not want to tie you up at all.”

Aku nodded, holding out the rope. Jack frowned at it and took it too, peering at Aku with worry in his dark eyes.

“Are you absolutely sure?”

Aku turned away and Jack could see the slight tremble in his hands.

“Just do it,” he whispered.

Jack made Aku lay down.

“Where?”

“The bed, I guess, is that not more comfortable?”

Aku shrugged, “This is not going to be comfortable for me anyway.”

Jack motioned to the bed, “Then let us not make it worse,”

Conceding, Aku laid on his back on the bed. Jack stared down at him.

“I am sure, Jack,” he said, looking paler by the minute.

Jack unwound the cord with a grimace. He already had bruises and cuts from the previous day. He went over to the dresser and removed several folded colorful pillowcases before returning.

Aku wondered for a moment what in the heck Jack was doing with the _pillowcases_ before his brain went back to very loud static. He focused on breathing, flexing his fingers, and ran his tongue against the roof of his mouth which had gone horribly dry.

Jack sat beside him and gave him another sympathetic look before taking Aku by his wrists and placing them above his head. Aku couldn’t help but smile in amusement when he felt Jack wrapping one of the pillowcases around his wrist, even separating them from each other before taking a strand of cord and quickly lacing them together. Aku shut his eyes, very aware of how his hands were shaking and how he knew that Jack could _see_ his hands shaking. But that was the point, wasn’t it? Baring your weakness. He really, truly, wished he had thought of a better idea than this, but even now he couldn’t think of anything.

This was as close to a trust _fall_ as he could get. A small breath escaped him when he felt the knot tighten around his wrist, and then be pulled back very securely to the headboard. He coughed nervously and resisted the urge to yank his arms down. Jack tied his ankles together in exactly the same way, wrapping them in pillowcases first to keep them from getting burned or bruised, and then tied them to the end of the bed. Aku let out a shaky breath and stared up at the ceiling.

Jack touched his face and he flinched, staring up at him.

“Aku, ah… are you sure?”

Aku shook his head, sweat was starting to bead at his temples and he was already breathing through his mouth. Jack leaned forward over him, putting his hands over the ropes around Aku’s wrists.

“No-no wait-” Aku panted, Jack sat back up slowly.

Watching Aku struggle to breath was just causing Jack anxiety but he did not want to give up so quickly.

“Tell me if you need me to take them off, _please_ , Aku,” Jack whispered, sliding his fingers gently over Aku’s cheek. Aku’s breath was hot against his fingers and Jack twitched reflexively. “H-how long were you wanting to do this?”

Aku shook his head, panting, “I do not know, I…” he closed his eyes, struggling to breath, Jack leaned forward again, “Jack-”

“I can-”

“No! Wait,” he mumbled, shivering as Jack pulled back again. Jack twitched, chewing his lip anxiously.

“Keep me here for an hour,”

“An _hour_!?” Jack balked, “Aku, that is too much,”

Aku bared his teeth at Jack, “An hour!”

“I do not like watching you suffer,” Jack complained and Aku blinked, smiling a little, even as his hair began to stick to his face and neck.

“That is too bad, Jack,” Aku whispered, trying to sound calm, “Otherwise this might be fun for you.”

Jack tisked at him and turned away. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see Aku continuing his attempts to stay calm even as panic was starting to give him cold chills. As if Jack could enjoy something so terrible. It was difficult for him not to just ignore this and cut Aku out even if he said no.

But in truth, as Jack averted his eyes, stiff on his feet like he was standing guard, he thought it _was_ probably a good idea. This was a much more controlled situation than yesterday, and if Aku could get through this fear with _him?_ Well, he’d be impressed, but he would also be surprised if Aku couldn’t summon his powers on command. Perhaps he could even start going back to… his demon self.

He didn’t like it anyway. He worked his jaw like someone had just cussed him out and clenched his fists.

“Jack,” Aku said suddenly, “Pretend you are _me_ ,” he told him, his voice shaking.

Jack looked down at him, “What do you mean?”

Aku huffed out a breath, raising his eyebrows, “Just pretend to be _me_. Imagine how _I_ would feel if this were flipped. You are always trying to be.. empathetic with people. _Do it for me_.”

Jack blinked rapidly, “That is not how empathy works…and Aku if you… I cannot!”

Aku rolled his eyes, “I will tell you if I need you to stop.”

“But _you_ would not listen! I am not a sadist.”

_Sadist?_ Aku’s eyes locked onto Jack’s and even though his lips were pale and he still shook, a small smile broke across his mouth, “Are you saying… we need a safe word?”

Jack blinked confusedly, “I do not know what that means.”

“If I need you to stop, I will use this word. You must listen to this word, but you need not listen to anything else. Continue to imaging yourself as me.”

Jack felt himself shivering, “Oh. Maybe…I can try.”

Aku smiled thinking, staring at the ceiling as if that would help him ignore the ropes around his ankles and wrists, “Ah, how about,” he breathed painfully, “I don’t know, ‘shadow’?”

Jack chuckled lightly, “Are you sure you will not use that word on accident?”

Aku scoffed, “Shut up, Jack, the word is, ‘Shadow’.”

“Shadow,” Jack repeated, swallowing the lump in his throat. “One hour, from a few minutes ago ?”

“Jack,” Aku laughed, “An hour from right now.”

Jack nodded again, “Okay…” he glanced up at the window, measuring the angle of the sun with his eyes and rolled his shoulders to relax them. He could feel Aku shaking through the bed and he turned to look.

He did not want to make Aku even more afraid, that was not the point. But then, why had Aku suggested that Jack do this? So Jack could try to enjoy watching Aku suffer? He blinked, glancing up at the distressed expression on Aku’s face and tilted his head wondering how in the world Aku could gain pleasure from something so…

Aku was squirming just slightly, panting, and though Jack knew it was from fear it did look quite a lot like the expressions he’d seen Aku make close to climax. He shook his head slightly. He could see the guilty pleasure. Well, it would be guilty for _him_. Aku would probably think it was funny to tie Jack up… or… something. He was sure Aku would _like_ it.

Aku had on that glossy black jacket that he’d worn at the club and honestly, every time he looked at it he felt a hot rush. He turned his head away and then thought, Aku would not have looked away would he? His eyes returned to the black leather and another thought occurred to him. It seemed painfully obvious now but, the texture was very close to what Aku’s real skin looked like, which may in part be why Jack liked the look of it so much. He swallowed, the urge to reach out was like a rising itch.

Aku wouldn’t stop that either would he? Would it actually make Aku feel better if Jack did enjoy this? Somehow? He bit his lip, reaching out to slide his hand over Aku’s navel up his chest. Aku’s eyes flew open in surprise and the full body shudder that came right after could definitely be mistaken for pleasure. Jack spread his fingers curiously, continuing the slide upward over his collar bones and then met Aku’s eyes. Aku raised his eyebrows in surprise, searching Jack’s expression, and shivering when Jack’s fingers reached his throat.

“Ah,” Aku hissed, blinking up at the ceiling, white hot panic mixed oddly with the sensual touch and he jerked in surprise when Jack’s fingers spread over his throat.

“Sorry,” Jack whispered, moving his hand to cup his face.

Aku sighed, tilting his head back, “ _Jack_ , no apologizing.”

“Right,” Jack said, smiling a little, “Should I put it back?”

“Do _whatever_ you want to do, Jack,” he hissed, “That is what I would do isn’t it?”

Jack’s eyes grew wider and he released his hold on Aku and climbed over him, putting both his hands on the sides of Aku’s head. Aku’s eyes grew wide.

“I do not like to watch you suffer, Aku,” Jack said in a stern voice, his eyes scanning all over his face.

Aku swallowed.

“Perhaps,” Jack mumbled in an unusually threatening voice, “I could distract you,”

Chills went through Aku’s body and he froze. Jack looked down at him, eyes still stern.

“Samurai…”

Aku let out a short, sharp breath when his arms twitched, reminding him how very trapped he was. He shivered all over, furrowing his brows, and closing his eyes. Feeling Jack’s weight over him was causing a cacophony of emotions, fear being the one that seemed the closest, yet just under that was a suddenly hot, buzzing anticipation. His skin was freezing cold, yet he was sweating and inside his core a fire had been sparked.

Jack kissed him suddenly, and without any of the inhibition he usually displayed, Aku groaned in pleasure, pressing up to kiss him back. Jack slid his hand back up around Aku’s throat and although there was no weight to it Aku struggled against the restraints.

Jack ran his fingers gently over Aku’s throat and slid it upwards over his jaw, feeling how Aku had to flex to meet Jack’s kiss. The shaking began to seem much less like he was torturing and more like teasing Aku.

Maybe this is what Aku felt when he was holding Jack down, power hungry, desperate for total domination over his partners pleasure. He gasped as the thought sent heat rushing through his core. Jack ran his tongue over Aku’s bottom lip and Aku parted them as if on command, Jack grasped Aku by the hair and tilted his head back to kiss him again, sliding his tongue over Aku’s teeth.

Aku jerked when he felt Jack pulling his hair, his knees trying to bend to balance him, his arms unable to grasp back, he was totally at Jack’s mercy.

_What demons had he just awoken in Jack to insight this reaction?_

…They seemed to dance quite well with his own. His scalp burned slightly where Jack was pulling on his hair but the pain traveled down him like shocks, pumping blood down into his cock. The full body terror had never left him and now he felt as if he were loosing a fight. He shook horribly, embarrassingly, but he couldn’t stop it. Aku bit at Jack’s lip in retaliation but Jack just hummed, sliding his hands down over his chest to further pin him down. The fear twisted inside him, battling his instincts to fight back, begging him to give in. Give in to _Jack_.

Jack pulled back to see the punch drunk expression on Aku’s face and smile proudly. Aku blinked up at him, his pupils blown wide and his lips slightly bruised.

With his hair tangling enticingly around his face like that, focused on nothing but Jack, just slightly red, he was the absolute image of Jack’s unspoken desire.

He sat up, taking the pin out of his hair, smiling at how Aku watched it unravel around his face and neck. He took the belt from his gi and set it, along with his sword, aside before taking that off as well. Aku was trembling at this point and Jack smiled gently at him, leaning down to kiss him more gently. He was paused by the shocked look on Aku's face.

“You told me to act as I thought you would,” Jack said quietly, shrugging.

Aku smirked, raising an eyebrow, “So you immediately try to screw me?”

Jack blushed and shook his head, “No, I would not— Stop that,” he said, shaking his head.

Aku smiled, but Jack could tell the bravado had absolutely no support, he was still teetering on the edge of panic. He kissed him gently, running his hands over the coat and then the bruise he’d left last night. Aku jerked and violently shivered. Jack could see him clenching his fists hard.

“With you,” Jack mumbled, “But only if you want too, because that is what _I_ want to hear,”

Aku’s lips twitched nervously, “You want me to tell you what I want? That is _actually_ what you want?”

Jack smiled, kissing him again, “Yes,”

“I… I am having a difficult time thinking,” he said,

Jack waited for him to take in a jittery breath and release it before looking up at him again.

“I _want_ ,” he said, and his hair stuck to his hair in dark curls, “To see you look at me with that possessive expression,” he breathed.

Jack parted his lips, letting out a soft breath, leaning his forehead against Aku’s.

“Yes?”

“I want to hear you struggling to control yourself, because you are _so_ aroused, it makes it difficult for you to stay stoic,”

“ _Gods_ ,” Jack sighed, “Were you _practicing_ those lines?” He asked in a strained voice.

Aku smirked, “No, why? Do you like it when I talk to you like that?

Jack nodded, “Was that… was that all of it?”

Aku snickered, “No…”

Jack looked at him and Aku could see the desire in his eyes. Who knew honesty could be so useful?

“I want to see in your face that you want me even a fraction of how,” He growled, “ _badly_ I want _you_ ,”

Jack shivered, gasping.

The noise settled low in his hips.Aku growled, the cold shivers inside him meeting the fire in his blood. Jack kissed him along his jawline and down, Aku knew he wanted to feel that bruise, because he felt it too.

“ _Ah_ -” he yelped, twisting in his bonds as Jack kissed along the mark and slid his left hand lower, playing at the edge of his belt.

“Do you want _me_ that badly?” Jack asked, in his kind curious tone that made Aku smirk because it was exactly the opposite of his own.

“Oh I do,” he said, glaring at the ceiling as Jack mouthed along his collar bone, “Gh-It is quite frightening, actually,” Aku snickered.

“Frightening?”

“Mmm,”

Jack pushed Aku’s shirt up over his chest, exposing the tangle of lightning scars and Jack leaned down to draw his mouth across them with reverence. Aku shuttered, gasping, arms jerking as he once again tried to get free. Jack’s right hand slid back up into Aku’s hair and his left slid lower, teasingly across Aku’s thigh. He squirmed all the harder. The belt was in the way. It had to go. Jack kissed a line back up to Aku’s collar and spent a moment tracing the shape of his bone with his tongue.

“ _Jack_ ,” He hissed feeling dizzy and arching into the touch.

Jack felt slightly woozy now, silently wondering if that were true. If Aku really didn’t know how bad Jack _did_ want him. Wanted him to be happy, to have what he wanted, despite knowing who he was. It was very easy to understand now why people gave into him so easily.

“I do not know how to speak to you like that,” Jack mumbled.

“ _What_?”Aku asked, squirming impatiently.

He moved up languidly and bit the junction of his neck and shoulders, below the bruise he’d already left. Aku gasped, his muscles seeming to seize up out of his control. Jack sank his teeth in gently, nearly able to taste the pulse just beneath his fevered skin.

“ _I do_ ,” he said heatedly into Aku’s ear.

Jack did not see the look of amazement on Aku’s face, or how his mouth opened like he could not voice his disbelief.

With Aku now satisfactorily distracted, Jack slid his fingers almost roughly along the outline of Aku’s cock through his pants and bit down slightly harder when Aku bowed in surprise.

“Ghk! Ja-ah-” Aku muttered incomprehensibly mumbling in-between gasps.

Jack sighed against his neck, feeling higher every time he heard his name in that tone in _that_ voice.

“Gods! Jack! Let me out of this!”

“No,” Jack told him sternly, nipping at his jaw, “That is not the word,”

“Ah- _Jack_ , come on!” He whined, turning his head to face Jack, eyes wide and pleading. He was trying and failing to push himself up into Jack’s hand, seeking friction, “ _I_ am supposed to hold _you_ down. This is flipped! This is _backwards_! Let me out!” 

“No.” Jack repeated, kissing him softly on the lips and increasing the pressure from his hand, sliding it down the outline. Aku growled menacingly but Jack just smiled against his lips, continuing his languid kiss. There was no argument against the kisses because Aku did not try to escape those. Even as he hissed and groaned, he gave away his feelings by tilted his head so that Jack would continue their kiss.

Jack ran his free hand over Aku’s stomach, fascinated by how soft his skin was. Jack did not want to take off all Aku’s clothes, since that would involve untying him but maybe…

He _did_ say to do whatever he wanted.

“I am going to free _one_ of your legs. Do not move,” Jack said commandingly. Aku stared up at him like he’d grown two heads, but did not argue. Jack moved down and untied Aku’s ankles, Aku compulsively bent them. Jack grabbed his ankles and brought them back down, retying the right one to the bed frame. He turned and moved back up, pushing himself between Aku’s legs.

Jack felt a nearly painful rush of adrenaline at the sight of Aku’s face burning. He’d never seen him look so undone. It was _gorgeous_. He quickly shot back up to kiss him fiercely, mussing his hair further. Aku ground his hips to the best of his ability against Jack, and Jack smiled, moving against him. Aku hissed in pleasured surprise, shivering.

“Jack,” Aku said, swallowing and turning his head away as Jack squinted from being denied more kisses, “I want you to do what you are thinking, _I want you to_ ,”

Jack smiled, “O-okay,”

Jack crawled off of him and Aku immediately felt _exposed_. He blinked in surprise, he felt heat in his face and he knew he was blushing but he was so damn confused! Wasn’t he supposed to feel scared _of_ Jack? Of… He did not know anymore. What the hell was happening?

“Are you alright?” Jack asked as soon as he was back,

“Kiss me, _do it again_ , now,” he demanded and Jack grinned, laughing, before giving him what he wanted.

Jack climbed over him in a way that allowed him to undo Aku’s belt without looking away from their kiss. He was growing dizzy from the lack of a desire to breath. He had to pause to gasp and used the moment to throw the belt on the floor and hook his fingers in his belt loops to yank his pants and boxers down his legs.

“Jack,” Aku groaned, white knuckling nothing as he tried to mentally prepare himself for what he’d just asked Jack to do. Both things. Tied here… He knew he could ask him to stop, and every once in a while a painful twinge of fear begged him to stop. He couldn’t. Everything hurt and he wanted it _so badly_.

Jack shakily pulled away again, liberally squeezing the lubricant into his hand, glancing at Aku’s twisted expression.

“Aku?”

“ _Jack_ ,” he moaned, squinting at the ceiling.

All the hair on Jack’s arms and neck stood on end, and he gasped slightly. The buzzing had already started. Jack glanced up at his hands—still human, and shook his head to refocus himself.

As he slid his hand gently down Aku’s cock, the lubricant it felt messy and he felt shaky. But Jack couldn’t really help it, and Aku growled in an entirely sexual way, and slammed his head back into the bed. Jack felt a burning warmth in his shoulders, he… he had _butterflies_. He blinked, licking his lips.

He smoothed over his balls impatiently, and slid his fingers down his perineum and against the ring muscle. Shakily he used his left hand to fondle him. To distract him from the distraction.

Aku breathed sharply, trying to retake control of his breaths as Jack pressed one finger into him. The low pressure joined the dissonance of fear and lust. He canted forward without really meaning too. Jack slid it up to the knuckle faster than the last time and Aku sighed.

“How are you going to do this at this _weird angle_?”

Jack laughed, “I am not untying you, it has not been an hour, and you have not said the word.”

“Gk, _damn you not falling for my lies_!” he said smirking.

“Okay,” Jack said, chuckling, “Is this alright?”

“Y-yes,” Aku said, squirming slightly, “ _Ah_ , I have, um,”

“What?”

“I do not remember,” he said, and laughed.

Jack laughed and bit his lip, “Tell me if you need me to stop,”

“That was what it was! I do not know how I got myself into this.”

“Do you—”

“ _No_ ,” he growled.

Jack slid his right hand up the base of his cock as he slowly moved his finger out slowly and pushing it back in again more quickly.

“What did I do to make you like this?” Aku asked,

“You are anxious,” Jack said.

“What makes you say that!?” Aku asked sarcastically.

Jack didn’t respond. He tightened his fingers around his cock as his fingers drew closer to the head, stopping just short and sliding down again. Aku shook with frustration.

Jack diligently worked him up to two fingers and was already shifting his fingertips to see if he could find his prostate. Aku’s brows furrowed, his eyes closed, and he tried to focus exclusively on Jack’s hand wrapped around his cock.

His mind did not want to cooperate _. Trapped. Stuck._ It screamed from the depths of his consciousness. Jack _would_ let him out of here. He _would_.

He growled when Jack pushed the third finger up against him, pausing to add more lubricant.

Samurai Jack… with him here. Alone. He shook, clenching his fingers. His _feelings_ were more uncomfortable than the stretch. But… Jack would let him out. He would.

Jack paused, sparks caught his attention. Just at Aku’s outline, like he was vibrating and he…

“ _Aku_ ,” Jack gasped,

“Wh-what?”

“You- you are…” he smiled, shaking his head in amazement.

Aku looked at him confused, and jack could not see under the sleeves of his coat but he _could_ see darkness just beneath the lightning scars moving over his skin in slow motion, it rose up his neck and seemed to fizzle out before it hit his jawline or his waist.

Aku couldn’t move to see, so he just looked at Jack with mounting concern.

“You-” Jack laughed, he couldn’t help it, “You _are_ beautiful,”

Aku bowed, clenching his teeth, and Jack could see the fangs just peaking out on the sides.

“ _Jack_ \- Jack, do it now,”

“But-”

“Do it now,” he said, though it was not as angry as usual as he stared at him heatedly. His clawed hands still bound over his head. Jack pulled his fingers away and climbed up to kiss him again, he could feel that electricity so _close_ , almost like he was touching it directly. Jack ran his tongue along the outline of Aku’s teeth, to feel how sharp the fangs were and had to stop so that he could grin at him.

“ _What_?” Aku asked, eyebrow raised, “Do you not—”

“Your fangs are _very_ sharp, Aku,” he said, smiling.

Aku’s green eyes went wide. He blinked and then ran his tongue over his own teeth, flicking his eyes back up at him in surprise.

“I bet that hurts,” Jack said amused, “But they are beautiful things,”

Aku shivered at the edges, groaning like he was in pain, “Jack, _now_ ,”

“Okay, yes,” Jack fumbled around for the lubricant, hurrying to shakily take off his fundoshi to put what was probably too much lubricant on his own cock before he slid his thighs under Aku’s and pressed up against him. They both struggled impatiently, though Aku couldn’t do more then squirm, Jack gasped when he pushed in.

“Ah-” Jack sighed, and rolled his hips into the next thrust.

“OH!” Aku cried in surprise, “You- _there_ -Yes, _that_ ,” he mumbled very fast.

Jack nodded, grasping him by his hips in order to thrust in that same direction. Aku groaned, his muscles all going tense.

Jack called upon his inner sense of control, pausing often to calm himself again, as Aku frantically struggled beneath him. Letting out small moans and ecstatic curses. Jack pulled back and could vividly feel every muscle in Aku’s abdomen strain beneath him and his body clenching around him. He just barely bit off the moan.

“Can you stop moving?” Jack whispered. Aku grimaced, and tensed, struggling to stop. Jack smiled, kissing him gently again, but as soon as Jack moved his hips Aku jerked.

“Ah, _hah_ ,” Aku whispered, “I do not think I can,” he admitted, and Jack smiled.

“That is okay,” he said, and pushed himself upright, sliding out in the process. Aku huffed before Jack readjusted, himself between Aku’s hips, pushing just the tip inside before grasping Aku by the hips and holding him completely still. Aku’s eyes went wide and locked with Jack’s as he canted forward, sighing in pleasure when his hips met his ass.

“Ah, Aku…” Jack groaned, taking in steadying breaths.

“ _Jack_ ,” he growled back.

Jack took hold of his cock again, stroking him roughly.

Aku threw his head back, tangling his hair, trying to squirm and finding himself completely immobilized by the ropes and by Jack’s strong hands. Jack leaned down to kiss his exposed neck and the position _hit_ him. The feeling of Jack twisting inside him, hitting his prostate on every other thrust, Jack’s mouth on the bruise, his hand tightly moving up and down his cock, and his own complete inability to do anything about it—pushed him over the edge.

He let out a half shout of ecstasy, bucking violently against Jack, his vision blacking out for a moment. Somewhere close beside him he heard Jack gasp, his movements becoming fast and uncoordinated before he shuttered and grew very still.

As his vision slowly came back he glanced back at Jack who was laying over him, very still, breathing in sharp gasps. Aku found that he was still shaking uncontrollably, dizzy, and lightheaded.

“J-jack..” he mumbled and Jack’s eyes opened immediately,

“Are you okay?”

“Ah…” he shivered,

Jack peered up at the window quickly before leaning over him and untying the rope.

“What are you doing?” Aku asked.

“It has been more than an hour.” Jack said, and grimaced apologetically as he pulled himself out. Aku flinched, slowly moving his arms back down. He lay still as Jack untie his ankles and then bent and stretched his sore limbs.

“Do you need anything?” Jack asked him, perched like he was ready to run for it. Aku shook his head.

“I.. do not think so…” he was still shaking, though now he wasn’t sure if it was from the come down from panic or such an intense orgasm. Jack laid back down beside him and wrapped an arm around him loosely, resting his head on his shoulder.

Aku held his hand out and humming, “I… think that worked,”

“Yes,” Jack said, still sounding breathless.

Aku curled his fingers in and fire lit with a small _thwip._ Jack twisted to look at him and the fire.

“Sorry,” he said,

“No,” Jack said smiling, “Do not be sorry for being yourself,”

Aku blinked owlishly, looking at Jack sideways before putting out the fire and holding his hand out beside Jack who he knew by the expression was still _dying_ to touch them. He didn’t know what was so fascinating about that but it felt nice so he didn’t care.

Jack kissed his palm.

They laid there for a couple of minutes before Aku found that he _needed_ to move. Jack didn’t stop him.

“How was that for a trust exercise?” Aku asked amusedly, shaking his hair out.

Jack blushed, “ahhh,”

“You said sex was not a trust exercise,” Aku teased.

“I did. I am sorry, I should have said it is not just a trust exercise. B-but it does take trust to…yes.”

Aku smiled, “I do not know if I could stand doing it again,” he admitted, “The ah, ropes I mean. But yes. ”

Jack smiled sympathetically, “That is fine with me anyway,”


	26. Autograph

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana comes home and cute things are cute 
> 
> ...or are they??

“Hey!” Ana cried running across the living room to jump up and hug Aku around the shoulders. He jerked in surprise before hugging her back. The door creaked open as another girl nervously followed.

“Hello, Little Queen,” Aku said to Ana, setting her on the ground.

“See? I told you,” she cried, twisting around to look at her friend.

“What?” said another young girl with long brown hair in all grey clothes, closing the front door and tossing a bag on the floor.

“I told you he calls me that,”

She scoffed and shook her head, “Cool, you’re _so_ special Ana.”

“Who are you?” Aku demanded.

Ana let go of him to spin around the living room, “Yin, this is my best friend in the WHOLE world, _except_ for you and Jack: Sophia,”

“Hi, Yin,” she said with a small smile.

Aku just eyed her like she was a fly that was not supposed to be in his drink. Ana snickered and covered her mouth.

Sophia shifted awkwardly, trying to look at anything but the judgmental green gaze on her.

“Where is Jack?” Ana asked.

Aku turned back to the hall calling down the steps, “Jack, Ana is back home,”

Sophia raised her eyebrows at Ana, coming closer to whisper, “I thought you were exaggerating,”

“Not even a _little_ ,” she said smiling happily.

Jack stepped into the room, past Aku, looking perplexed. Until he saw Ana and then he broke into a wide smile.

“Hello! You are home!” he greeted joyfully.

“Hi!” Ana cried, running back over to hug him as well.

Jack smiled, hugging her back and then looking over to her friend in surprise.

“Hello,”

“ _Oh my God_ ,” Sophia said, covering her mouth with her hands and going beet red.

Jack looked at Ana confused and she smiled again waving over her friend.

“Samurai Jack, this is my best friend in the whole world, _besides_ you and Yin: Sophia!”

Sophia made a very high pitched cry and ran back outside.

Ana sighed, frowning, she looked up at Aku, “I told you my friends were embarrassing,”

“I see that,” He agreed, looking cold and unimpressed.

“I missed you guys though! Did you have a good weekend?”

They looked at each other and smiled.

“Yes,” Jack said, averting his eyes, “Did you?”

“Yep! When Sophia stops being crazy, I’ll try to introduce you again. She didn’t believe me when I said you were here. She said I was making it up!” She scoffed, “She’s just jealous because you were my friend _first_ ,”

Jack balked, “What? But why would… what?”

Aku snickered, “Actually he was _my_ friend first,” he said, smirking devilishly before disappearing into the kitchen.

Jack frowned, blushing, “Why is this a competition?”

Ana shrugged, “It’s not, it’s just stupid.”

“Uh, okay,”

Ana ripped off her coat and went to throw it in her room along with her and her friends bag. Then she ran back out to chase down Sophia. Jack went into the kitchen and sighed. The lights weren’t on but Aku was sitting next to a window, leaning on his hand comfortably with his cup of tea.

“Why are you sitting in the _dark_?”

“It is dark in here?” he asked, his green eyes glowing.

Jack smiled, “For _me_ it is,” he said and flipped on the lights, “Did you used to be this… ah, did you used to be able to see in the dark?”

“I am one with the darkness” he mused, laughing to himself.

“Right,” Jack said, chuckling.

Aku smiled and looked into his steaming tea. This was just going to spiral wasn’t it? Just this morning he had really started to notice that his senses seemed to be returning.

It was cold outside, and very early, he could tell this by the pitch of the wind on the windows of the house. Small animals were moving out in the back yard. The heater was on low and there was the soft _nnnnnnnn_ of the electricity moving through wires in the walls. The bathroom faucet had not been completely turned off and it was dripping, ever so slowly, once every few minutes.

He had been so comfortable that he wasn’t entirely sure why he’d woken up. Why be awake when he could just continue to not be awake? He’s been warm and content.

Jack had still been asleep, it was easy to tell without even looking because he was still pressed up against Aku’s shoulder, breathing slowly and deeply. Every now and then he twitched in response to whatever he was dreaming about.

He couldn’t remember if he’d dreamt anything. It didn’t seem like it. At least, he couldn’t remember any.

When his eyes had opened, and found himself staring at the wall, his nose and mouth pressed up against Jack’s hair. He didn’t remember doing that…but it didn’t surprise him.

He could smell _both_ of them, his own sort of human version of his own smell and Jack’s, mixed together in the blankets and in the air. He wasn’t sure if it was normal for humans to notice that. Aku had been aware that humans had chemical communication for a long time, it was impossible _not_ to notice when _he_ could smell what was happening. Normally it was mildly off putting, even gross to a point, but Jack’s scent specifically had never bothered him.

Actually he was pretty sure it had the opposite effect, since when he could smell it it caused that feeling, one he’d thought for so long to be a type of hunger, but which was actually arousal. No wonder humans connected sex with food, that weirdness made sense now too.

Aku watched the grey sky whipping the last of the leaves from the trees but was still thinking about how he’d woken up.

“Hm..nnn..” Jack had mumbled in his sleep.

Aku smiled. As he’d continued to gain consciousness, he’d become aware that it was also odd that he could hear the animals outside so clearly. He did not recall ever noticing that in here before. Of course, he could have done that before Nebula had trapped him in this body, but...

His senses must be returning.

Jack had squirmed suddenly, reaching around Aku’s shoulders to stretch out his arm.

“Hello,” Jack said sleepily, going limp again after he was finished stretching. He didn’t even bother trying to open his eyes.

Aku scoffed, “Hi,”

Jack smiled, “ _Hi,_ ”

They both snickered.

“What time is it?”

“I have no idea,”

Jack opened his eyes finally and squinted at the window.

“Early?”

“9, I think,” Jack said, yawning.

Aku stared at him for a moment before yawning as well. Jack grinned at him.

“I have never seen you do that before,”

Aku blinked, “Yawn?”

Jack shook his head and laughed, “They say that yawning after you see someone else yawn in a sort of empathy,”

Aku sighed dramatically, “Oh, Gods, is that true?”

“I do not know,” Jack admitted, “But I shall choose to believe it right now,”

Aku rolled his eyes, “I think you are reaching.”

“I think you are actually quite sensitive and this is why you are usually angry,”

Aku shook his head. Now he could hear the girl’s high pitched voices speaking rapidly in the other room and looked back over to Jack who was trying very hard to be poised while making his tea. He snuck closer, putting his hands on Jack’s shoulders and Jack jumped, glaring at him.

“Aku-”

“Shh,” he said, smirking,

“Yin.” he corrected, “I might have hurt you, do not sneak up on me,”

Aku rolled his eyes and slid his arms around his waist.

“ _Yin_ ,” Jack said, blushing,

“Are you hiding from the girls?”

“Are you _not_?”

“Of course I am, I hate _other_ people,” he shrugged, “You are always so upset when others appreciate you,”

“Get off me,”

“It is true,” he snickered, nuzzling his shoulder. Jack grasped him by his arms and pushed him off.

“Hey-um…” Ana snickered, smiling at the looks on both their faces, “Can I get something to eat or am I, like, interrupting?”

Jack shook his head and glared at Aku, who didn’t even have the decency not to smirk. Jack walked out, muttering that he would be back and Ana narrowed her eyes at Aku.

“ _Nice_ ,”

“What?”

She raised her eyebrows and pointed at his neck. For a moment he just stared. When it clicked, he just laughed, shamelessly shrugging.

“It is _nice_ ,” he said proudly,

“Do you want a scarf?”

“No, because I am neither cold nor ashamed,”

Ana shook her head, “M’kay. Well _anyways_ , will you be kinda nice to my friend? She is my _best_ friend,”

“Maybe.” He said flatly.

She beamed, “Thanks,”

Ana’s mere presence in the house seemed to make the rooms brighter. She and her friend cleared a lot of the Halloween decorations out, speaking to each other so quickly it was difficult to understand, and making each other laugh until they were basically screaming.

Aku determinately lurked whenever Ana was not directly involving him in something. Periodically completely disappearing. Jack insisted that he be able to help Ana make food, so she begrudgingly let him, telling him he was not good at being, ‘her guest’.

“I am not just your guest, I am your friend and you are doing me a favor by letting me stay here,” he said, frowning at her.

She smiled, “But I _want_ to make you comfy and happy!”

“I _am_ ,” he insisted, bringing her a bowl when she pointed to it. She was breaking noodles in half and throwing them into boiling salt water. Jack had no idea what she was doing, but he was happy to listen to her instruct him on how they were making ‘meatballs’ for ‘spaghetti’.

Meanwhile, Sophia was having a small breakdown at the kitchen table. She kept hiding her face behind her hair, sometimes peaking out to stare fearfully at Jack before hiding again.

He was looking forward now to eating whatever this food was, that was starting to smell very good. Ana was painting melted butter onto bread, and having him move things around for her, and Sophia stayed hidden.

Her fear of him was… Well, it was… really annoying. But Jack hoped she would stop soon and they could all have a good time. He hoped that this would put Ana in a good mood before he had to tell her about their plans. Jack was not looking forward to that.

Ana began setting the plates up on the table, ready for food and when Jack handed her the box of napkins Sophia hid under her arms.

“Are you, are you alright?” Jack asked Sophia and she squeaked in fear, hiding like he might strike her. He moved away, grimacing sadly.

“Sophia!” Ana said angrily, walking over and shaking her by her shoulder, “Stop being _weird_!”

“He’s in your houuse!” she cried, looking crazily at Ana.

“I know! I told you that two days ago!”

“I’m _sorry_ ,” she said sadly, fearfully peering at Jack through a part in her hair. After a moment she said in a very high voice, “You’re so cool, I didn’t think I’d get to like, _see you in person_! It’s crazy!”

Jack looked tense as he said, “Uhhh…”

“Have you gotten to see him fight!?” she asked Ana.

Ana groaned, “Dude, _shut up_ ,”

“But! _But_ , like, have you!?”

Ana glared, “You’re making me look like an idiot,” she grumbled angrily.

“It is okay,” Jack said nervously clearing his throat.

Sophia grabbed onto Ana and Ana squinted.

“Yes, Ana has seen me fight,” he said, shrugging, “She has been so kind as to let my friend and I stay here while we recovered from a particularly bad battle actually. Your friend is very welcoming to us.”

Sophia gawked, “Somebody hurt _you_? I’m sorry,”

Ana crossed her eyes, scrubbing her face.

Jack put a hand on her shoulder, “It is fine,”

Like an angry ghost, Aku walked silently past the two girls, who were solely focused on Jack, and didn’t notice him sneaking to get to the tea he’d left on the counter.

“You and your friend are okay now though, right?” Sophia asked.

“Yes, I think so,” Jack said smiling.

“Can I have your autograph?”

Ana sighed.

“My… what?”

“Will you sign your name on a piece of paper for me?”

Jack went red in the face and Sophia blinked at him in confusion. After a moment he nodded and she smiled, frantically pulling the scrap of paper out of her pocket along with an abused looking blue pen. Jack set it on the table and wrote his name.

“Thank you!” Sophia said, clutching the signature happily.

“You want a picture too?” Ana asked, pulling her tablet closer,

“Why?” Jack asked,

“So I can prove I met you,” Sophia informed him joyfully.

“Oh… uh, I suppose… Can that be dangerous?”

“I won’t give it to her until its not anymore,” Ana promised.

“What!?”

“Okay then,” Jack said, trying to avoid the burning gaze he knew was trying to bore a hole through his head. Ana set up the camera and took Sophia’s picture next to a very uncomfortable looking Jack and giggled. She took a few more, some of which included herself.

“Hey,” Sophia said curiously, “Is… is the angry guy your friend?”

Jack could see out of the corner of his eye Aku swing around to stare at them but he tried not to give him away.

“Yes, the angry one,” Ana agreed rolling her eyes, “I told you they are friends.”

“Yes… Yin is my closest friend,” Jack said, his smile twitching. Going slightly red around the ears.

“Seriously?”

Aku raised his eyebrows at Jack, looking at the girls and then him, tilting his head. Jack struggling not to look back, lips twitching with amusement.

“ _Seriously_ ,” he agreed dramatically, and folded his arms into his sleeves.

Aku tilted his head away, smiling happily at his drink, trying not to make any noise.

“Okay,” Sophia said suspiciously.

It took the girls another five minutes to even notice that Aku was standing there, while they put food in bowls, at which point they both screamed in surprise and Sophia ran into Ana’s room without another word. Aku bit his lip, the menacing laugh was rising quickly to the surface.

“You're so quiet!” Ana said shaking her head,

“Is your friend moving in?” Aku asked nonchalantly.

“Sophia’s Grandma lives a little ways from here so she’s staying the night and tomorrow she’s heading off to her Grandma’s house. I’m sorry she’s acting crazy, usually she’s really calm and nice.”

Aku shrugged, “People run screaming from me all the time,”

Jack snorted.

Ana smiled, “If it’s cool with you, Sophia and I are going to play games in my room so we’re taking the food with us,”

Jack shrugged, “Of course,”

“It’ll be safer for her that way,” Aku said smirking, “She will be less likely to _die of fright_ ,”

Ana stuck out her tongue, gathered their food, and went to follow her friend.

Jack beamed at Aku when the girls returned to Ana’s room, even though he was still blushing.

“You have not been asked to do that yet? To give an autograph?” Aku inquired, smirking.

Jack shook his head and moved to stand beside him, to make his own tea. Momentarily forgetting about food.

“That is funny, I would imagine you would have been asked that before,”

“I do not think so,”

Aku nodded and then hummed, “How did you learn to read and write in English so quickly?”

Jack shrugged, “I still learn. All the time I learn new words. I do not combine words how other people do, so easily. You do not do this either, do you?”

Aku smiled, “I think I mimic the way you speak when I am speaking to you, otherwise I _don’t_ know, and I _couldn’t_ tell you ,”

Jack snickered.

Aku stood up straight and kissed him. Jack blinked.

“Did you just say that to tease me?” he asked,

“Hmm?”

“Your ‘closest friend'?”

Jack blushed again but held eye contact, feeling fond, “ _Aren’t_ you?”

Aku snickered, “Am I _allowed_?”

“Do you want my permission?”

Aku hummed, “I would rather have an invitation,”

Jack laughed, “I will need more paper then,”

“Why?”

“To write you a formal invitation,”

They both laughed.

“Truly though, I.. I do feel closest to you... but I can understand if—“

Aku kissed him again. Pushing the cup out of Jack’s hand so he could wrap his arms around his middle. Jack hesitated for a moment, but the warmth and the enticing smell of smokiness drew him in and he threw his arms around Aku’s shoulders.

Sophia peaked around the hall and gaped, sneaking back immediately while trying to stifle her laugh.

Ana shook her head, “You _liar_ , you said you had to go to the bathroom! Are you done creeping on my friends?”

The girls quietly closed the door and sat on Ana’s colorful circle rug.

“Oh my Gods,” Sophia said, ignoring Ana’s accusation, tears streaming down her face, “that’s so funny!”

Ana shook her head again, “Hilarious,” she snarked, “But seriously aren’t they cute? I hope they legit get married and invite me,”

Sophia giggled furiously, “Married!? But that guy is such a jerk, Ana,”

Ana stuck out her tongue, “Actually, Yin is the one who kept me from getting... uhm, beaten up,” she had to refrain saying ‘electrocuted’ so that she wouldn’t be forced to explain it.

“He saved you ? _Not_ Samurai Jack?”

“They both did, but it was Yin that got so injured they had to stay,”

Sophia frowned, “That sucks, but I guess it makes sense. I mean, otherwise he shouldn’t be allowed to date _Samurai Jack_!”

Ana rolled her eyes, “Don’t you think that it should be Jacks choice who... he…”

Ana’s train of thought rolled off the tracks at the sound of feet padding across the leafy ground outside. She glared at her window with her mouth partly open. It was unusual for people to wander around her home, it was far out of the way of any direct roads, and people that came hear usually knew her and knocked on the front or back door. They did not sneak around the side of the house. She listened but the crunching stopped and she couldn’t see anyone outside.

“What?” asked Sophia.

“Did you hear that?”

“What?” Sophia’s face fell.

Ana smiled nonchalantly and walked over to the wall, shutting the curtains over her window.

“What is it?”

“I dunno, I just.. heard crunching, like… like walking,”

“Like a deer?”

“Maybe?” Ana said, shrugging, “You’re probably right,”


	27. Melted Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana's house is attacked, and remember that video they stole that they never watched?

Ana sat up in bed, staring at the window, unable to sleep, she kept hearing the soft noise of feet sneaking around outside and though she peaked through her window many times,she saw nothing. It was 2 AM and Sophia, having sworn to stay up all night, had fallen asleep with her face on the tablet with their video game loading screen still on. Sophia insisted that Ana was just not feeling well and had tried very hard to distract her and cheer her up with stories from their school friends, hair braiding, and trading the monster fighter video game back and forth.

She still felt off. Even when she couldn’t hear it, she just felt _off_. Finally, at 2:30 AM, she slid out of bed, snuck past Sophia and padded around the living room to the steps. She froze for a moment beside the back door... but as soon as she was _really_ listening, it stopped again. She crept down and quickly rapped on the left side door.

There was a light shuffling and the door opened. She was relieved to see that they were both awake.

“What is it?” Jack asked her, opening the door wide so she could come in.

“Why in the hell are you awake?” Aku asked, squinting at her.

She bit her lip, “Um… um.. I think there’s someone outside, and-and I dunno what they are doing?”

Aku’s eyes narrowed and he stood, walking over and pulled her into the room by her shoulders. He looked at Jack, “Do you think it is the trapper?”

Jack grimaced and nodded, he took his sword from the dresser and rushed out, whispering only, “Stay inside,”

Ana was relieved that they immediately believed her, “Who’s the trapper?”

“We do not know yet. Where is your friend?”

“Asleep in my room,”

“We will go get her. She should probably not be near windows,”

Ana lead him up to her bedroom and shook Sophia awake, hushing her when she groaned in annoyance.

“What’s wrong?”

“We dunno know yet,” Ana told her, leadings them all into the craft room. Aku paused for a moment and Ana squinted at him in confusion, “Come on,”

So he followed, and closed the door behind them. There was only a skylight in here. But he watched it anyways, just on the off chance.

“What’s happening?” Sophia asked groggily.

“I dunno yet!” Ana insisted.

“Then why are we hiding?” she asked, trembling slightly.

“Quiet girl,” Aku said, wandering around the room, focusing on the sounds outside was difficult without any windows and with the girls whispering to each other.

Sophia scoffed, “Who made you king of the world?” she angrily mumbled.

Ana closed her eyes. Aku looked at Sophia sideways, perhaps unaware that his eyes were glowing in the dark. Perhaps not.

“ _I did_ ,” he said and put a finger to his lips.

Sophia hid behind Ana.

“Hello?”

Ana sighed with relief hearing Jack’s voice and paused at the door, looking over at Aku. He nodded and she swung it open. Jack rounded the corner at the sound.

“They escaped,” Jack told them.

“Who did?” Sophia asked Ana worriedly.

“I dunno, some weirdo?” Ana answered.

“We have to leave,” Aku said crossing his arms, staring up at the skylight where the moon was growing dim behind storm clouds.

“Leave?” Ana asked, “Was it the trapper person?”

“I do not know,” Jack said tensely, “But I do not want to risk it. What do you—”

Jack paused, Aku’s eyes were unblinking and wide, yet totally unfocused. It took him a moment to realize he was _listening_ to something. The hair on his arms stood on end just from looking at him, as if Aku’s suspicion was contagious.

“You sense something,” Jack stated,

Aku blinked rapidly, refocusing on Jack, “It is best if you gather your things now,”

“Why?” Asked Ana nervously.

“What do you hear?” Jack asked.

“I...” He didn’t exactly know how to explain what was happening. He couldn’t really hear anything. It was one of those things that, as a demon, he never questioned when he felt it. It was a particular weighty feeling that told him _something was coming_.

“Yin?”

“Ah…” He didn’t have time to explain all this now, “We should go. We should hurry,”

Jack curiously looked up at him. The intensity in his gaze more than anything gave Jack his answer. He turned and hurried the girls to gather their bags. In a rush, Aku returned to the basement and threw his and Jack’s things hastily into the shoulder bag that Jack had been using and returned upstairs.

He _knew_ it was the trapper. He knew without seeing anything and it felt wrong. Although he remembered having these promotion type senses, it had been a long time since he’d experienced one, and his human body seemed to resist it. Like he had to question his own instincts— at least the ones separated from his human body. He had also never had reason to explain them to anyone else before. It was good that Jack trusted him enough to just go along with it. Even if he was wrong, which he knew he wasn’t, it was better to be alive and paranoid than comfortable and dead.

Jack smiled nervously at him as he made it to the top of the steps. Aku paused mid step. Jack watched in confusion as Aku went totally ridged, staring off to the side with his eyes wide and his mouth partly open as if he could taste the air—and maybe he could, Jack didn’t know. But he did not like the expression on Aku’s face. Aku eyed the walls beside them and then tilted his head down low, though nothing else moved, like he was hearing something behind him.

“Yin?” Jack whispered, calling upon his own senses to tell him what was happening. He heard nothing, he felt nothing but the mild chill from the evening air, he saw nothing, and he was becoming very agitated.

Ana grasped onto Jack’s sleeve. Sophia put her hands over her mouth as she looked between her friends and Aku fearfully.

“Run,” Aku said softly, sliding his feet across the ground as he neared them. His strained expression did not change and Jack furrowed his brows and unlocked the door.

“People… _many_ people..” Aku mumbled, struggling to translate whatever was happening in his mind.

Jack nodded and pushed open the front door. He rushed the girls off into the night. Aku followed shortly behind. They didn’t bother to shut the door or turn off the lights, that would just let whoever it was know that _they_ knew.

Jack lead them down the road away from the house and Aku hissed. The four of them stopped and he hurried to Jack’s side.

“What is it? What do you see?” Jack whispered.

Aku motioned in front of them before realizing that was completely useless. He wasn’t blind in the dark anymore but _they_ were. He glanced at Ana’s little friend and frowned. She probably should not know, she would surely panic and put herself in worse danger…

“[[There are several groups of people around the house. There is a wire just through there,]]”

“Oh,” Jack said darkly, “[[Can you see who they are?]]”

“[[No, but I can hear them out there. I can see them moving,]]”

“Sophia,” Jack said softly, “Come here, please,”

“Okay?” She said, squeaking in surprise when picked her up.

“Ana—”

“Okay,” she agreed, climbing onto Aku’s back when he leaned over for her. She linked her little arms around his shoulders.

“What’s happening?” Sophia asked, sounding close to tears.

“We are leaving,” Jack told her firmly and she went quiet, “[[Lead us out, Yin,]]”

Aku smiled at him, his green eyes glowing with amusement.

They zig zagged across one of the many walking trails that lead away from Ana’s property. The thin path was well worn, but the walls of trees, even with their leafless canopy, threw them into near total darkness. Aku knew that Jack was completely blind now. They could not risk much more talking. He could see them, whoever they were, moving around in the dark, just slightly paler than the darkness in their navy blue cloaks and soft shoes. So he put his arm around Jack’s arm, and lead him off the trail, guiding him to hide behind one of the trees.

It was not a moment too soon, the moment they had gotten to their hiding spot a bright light shot through the trees all around them. Jack grimaced, tilting his head to listen.

Sophie was breathing raggedly and had one hand over her mouth as she struggled to stay calm. Ana was shivering, but Aku wasn’t sure if if was from the cold or from fear. The light was shut off and Aku turned to see the group filing down the path in silence. There was _eight_ of them. Just in this one group. He knew there were more, most of them were closer to the house now.

The soft patter of feet on the dirt was enough to let Jack know what was happening. He was completely blinded again once the light had shut off. But he felt the people moving away and sighed slightly. Aku pulled him forward again, leading him back up the path where their trespassers had just gone by.

He gripped Jack’s arm harder when they hit gravely uneven path. Just as they began to make progress, Aku pushed them off the trail into the other side of the woods. This time, leading them to hide behind thick bushes. Aku saw only two this time but they were _leaping_ across the pathway. Nearly invisible and completely silent, they shot past their hiding spot. He’d only caught onto the slight warm smell of _other_ people. But this was bad. This path was an offshoot of the other larger paths. More comfortable, better lit paths, that people used all the time. Which meant, as he had feared, that they had been scoping this place out. Probably for much longer than they had noticed. The trespassers were _prepared_ for their targets to run.

These people had to be after Jack. Possibly also after Ana since. But they would only be after Aku if they knew that Jack had a ‘friend’ with him. Which would imply that the Shadow Sisters had warned others about him, or they _were_ the Shadow Sisters. There had definitely been men with them though.

Another small group of them meandered by, shining red lights into the woods just beside them. Ana pressed her face into Aku’s shoulder. Aku breathed in the cold air. That was it. He knew there was an open path now. But the new trespassers didn’t seem to want to move out of the way. They repeatedly flashed the lights on and off through the woods.

To his and Jack’s horror, the red lights flashed back from several directions. Aku got low and peered slightly out from around the foliage. Oh yes, they were armed, like a little ninja swat team. He glowered. The trespassers most likely knew they had already gotten out of the house and now they were searching.

“[[We must get the girls out of here,]]” Jack said in a breath that was hardly loud enough to be a whisper.

“…I can distract them,” he mumbled back.

Ana made a fearful little noise but Aku put his hand on her arm and pushed her to climb off of him.

“They may not know I am here,” Aku said, ducking when lights flashed overhead again.

“We will meet you at the end of the path,” Jack said quickly, and Aku could see the concerned look in Jack’s eyes.

Aku crawled out from the bushes, sneaking into a nearby shadow of a tree.

“Yin,” Jack whispered.

He didn’t respond.

“ _Yin_ ,”

His eyes remained focused on the path. Jack glanced at Sophia and saw that her face was scrunched up with the effort of not paying attention. Jack leaned forward.

“Aku,” he whispered and Aku looked at him, “Do not let them see your _eyes_ ,”

Aku huffed and nodded. He counted four of them. They were still flashing their lights just past him, and receiving distant moving flashes in return. Aku crawled out from his hiding place, crawling through the shadows, painfully slow. It was so annoying to be human, really. If he had his powers he could just get rid of this problem. Though if he had his powers then this wouldn’t be happening.

How fast was he now? Aku was not sure and it would be difficult to avoid getting shot if he didn’t know how quickly he could get out of the way. Only one way to be certain.

Aku threw himself out into the path and shot back into the trees on the other side, catching the red light as he went.

“OH!” One of the men yelled and all the lights were pointed in that vague direction. The direction of where he _had_ been.

Aku smiled, he hadn’t even made it behind another tree, but they obviously could not track his movements well. Which meant, to his delight, that he was fast.

“What was that?”

“A deer?” one of them suggested.

“Where did it go?”

Aku casually walked between the trees, wondering if they would see him at all. They did not. So he perched carefully and snapped a stick with his heel, darting back into the darkness.

“There!” said a trespasser, pointing to where the stick was.

Ohhhh hide and seek was one of Aku’s _favorite_ games. Though he was usually the one seeking. This wasn’t bad either. There might be a lot of fun to be had, scaring the living hell out of these idiots.

Jack blinked at the flashing lights. The four people stumbled into each other as they searched for the disembodied noises Aku was making. Leading them on a merry and futile chase. He couldn’t help but smile when one of them yelled out in fear and they began to bicker amongst themselves about which direction the ‘thing’ had gone in. They were moving away! They were wandering into the woods on the other side of the path and Jack took Ana by the hand. Though he could still barely see, he helped Ana get back to the path. There, the three of them fled up the narrow walkway.

Aku grimaced as one of his new friends turned back in the direction Jack was leading the girls. Perhaps he meant to warn someone. Either way, Aku swooped in front of him, knocking him off his feet and disappearing into the trees again. Yells filled the air around him. Aku crouched, watching the man he’d knocked down aim a gun over the flashlight in his other hand. In the wrong direction. Judging by the way he was getting low now, he still could not tell if his attacker was an animal or a person.

Jack squinted at the ground before them as they went, hoping to catch any reflected lights from any more traps. But perhaps they did not set any here because they caught nothing as they reached the top of the hill. This path eventually lead back to the square that Nebula had burned to the ground and from there they could easily escape. As long as Aku managed to catch up to them again.

The man gathered himself up off his knees. His beam of light shivering as he took in terrified breaths. Aku cracked another stick and the beam shot right over his head as he slipped across the path again. All of them were now searching in the wrong direction. Aku crept along the edge of the path. He stood up straight behind them when they failed to notice.

“It’s a wolf!”

“That makes no sense,”

Aku scoffed. The light all shot to the spot where he had been standing. They knew he was a person now, unfortunately. But it had been so amusing! He steadied himself behind a tree. Listening to them coming closer.

Jack and the girls all flinched at the sound of gunshots. Lights quickly converged on one another as the groups gathered around the center of the noise. Ana swallowed painfully and let out a little wheeze of fear. Sophia was still tensely trying to keep herself quiet.

The trespassers were shouting and Jack tensed. Had they caught him?

“Sophia, I need to put you down,”

“NN!” she squeaked in dismay, shaking her head, “no no, I’m scared, please—”

“Sophia, I have too-”

There was a small crunch beside them and Jack whipped his sword out of the hilt, Sophia fell off his back in shock, crashing sideways into Ana.

“Oh,” Aku said, eyeing Jack irritably, “Is that the thanks I get?”

“Gods,” Jack sighed, sheathing the sword.

“Here I thought you might have _missed_ me,” Aku snarked and Jack yanked him forward bu his outstretched hands and hugged him, quickly letting go again. Aku blinked in surprise.

“We need to get far away from here,” Jack said seriously, “Where should we head?”

“The end of this path leads to the ruins,” Aku said, “Let us walk and talk, shall we?” he asked, briskly starting to lead again.

Jack took Ana and Sophia by their hands. Ana kept peering nervously behind them and Sophia squeezed Jack’s wrist hard enough to cut off blood flow. He didn’t stop her though, she was trying so hard to be brave.

“The ruins are too close to stay in overnight,” Aku quietly said, glancing back to insure Jack was still safe just behind him.

“Is the market too close as well? I think it may be. We do not want them to follow us and have them hurt the people, or destroy anything else…”

“We might stop there for a moment, but no, I think we should keep going,”

“What about Sophia?” Ana asked suddenly.

“Hmm?” Aku asked,

“Can we drop her off at her Grandmother’s house? I know the way, we can take the long way around, to make sure they don’t follow _her_?”

“Yes, we should get her out of this as soon as possible,”

The four of them hurried in tense silence back into the ruins of the square. There was still a steady stream of water flowing out from the river. They paused along the edge, catching their breath.

“What direction?” Jack asked Ana and Sophia.

The girls both pointed.

“Very well, I think we can make it,”

Aku tensed, looking around the quiet square. An oddly familiar sound filling his ears. He turned his head to the side.

“Yin?” Jack asked, worriedly when he saw the expression.

“We cannot make it,” He said, “Hide them, _quickly_ , now!”

Jack balked and took the girls, and lead them to a stone wall of what was once a small building. They crawled into the corner.

“Do not move, unless you absolutely have too,” Jack said quickly and turned around.

Aku was standing on the edge of the wall, staring out into the distance at something Jack could neither see nor hear. At first. And then, to his horror, his ears caught onto the sound of buzzing. Loud buzzing wings.

He sprinted up onto the wall and stopped next to Aku. Aku didn’t even try to look at him.

“The people are catching up as well,” he mumbled,

“Why are they?” he asked angrily, “How do they have _your_ robots?”

Aku shrugged, “They are not exactly difficult to come by,”

“I remember,” Jack said, shaking his head and unsheathing his sword again, “Aku, you must not kill them,”

“The robots!?”

“The _people_!” he said quickly, he could hear them now, moving in from several directions, “How many are there?” he growled, trying to rapidly calculate an escape.

“Give me your scabbard,” Aku said in a false calm.

Jack untied it and handed it over.

The first robots rushed at them in a loud vibrating wave. Jack sliced the first in half. Black oil splashed everywhere. Several more came in rapid succession and met the same messy fate. Jack tensed when one flew past him. He could not turn because there were many in front of him, their red eyes getting ready to fire. He leapt into the air and heard the small explosion. He landed on his feet with a splash inside the walls and turned to look at Aku.

In the darkness the swarm descended upon him. For a moment Jack panicked.

Aku moved out of their way as they clawed through the air. His graceful evasions made the robots look as if they were moving in slow motion. Jack blinked, having to launch himself out of the way as several more surrounded him. Just beyond the sharp SHING of his own furious slashes, he could hear the brutal CRACK of robots against the scabbard. The second wave of robots paused high above them. Aku hopped off the wall and landed smoothly beside’s Jack.

Jack was filled with the urge to _say_ something. But he couldn’t think of what to say, and he didn’t have time to ponder it. Gunshots rang out overhead and they ducked.

“Samurai Jack!” a now familiar voice called out, “YIN!”

“Salem,” Aku growled, “So it _is_ the Shadow Sisters,”

“They do not give up, do they?” Jack asked breathlessly.

“No,” Aku said, glaring,

“I do not know what _magic_ you posses, Yin! But I am ready this time! Why don’tyou come out and play? Or would you rather us play hide and seek with your _sweet little friends_?”

White hot furry flashed before Jack and he ground his teeth.

“Can we kill them now?” Aku asked,

“No. Not in front of the _girls_ ,” he said quickly

Aku growled, “ _Jack_!”

“Come on,” Jack told him, “ _We_ can do this,” and he moved back towards the wall.

To his surprise, Aku didn’t argue this time, he jumped up on the wall before Jack did and waited for Jack to join him. Lights flashed at them immediately.

“You have no more booze to throw,” Salem called loudly, from somewhere that Jack could not determine through the buzzing and rustling of the small army of people.

Jack leaned closer to Aku, readying himself. Gunshots sounded off and Jack closed his eyes, already blinded by the flashing lights, he deflected them by ear.

“I love it when you do that,” Aku said.

Jack huffed amusedly, but did not turn to look at him, “Do not get shot,” was the only thing he could think to say back.

Two shadowy figures darted out of the foliage towards Jack and Aku cut them off headlong, kicking the first square in the collar bones and hitting the second in the side of the head with the scabbard. They reeled back.

Jack smiled proudly, watching several of the shadows stepping back in surprise. His eyes could not track them in the darkness. The buzzing was growing louder again.

“Can you see them?” Jack asked. Closing his eyes to determine where the beetle drones were.

“Of course,” Aku said, eyeing the paper cut outs of people swimming below the beams of flashlight lights.

“Good, because I cannot,” Jack said, turning as more shots were fired, pushing Aku to the right as bullets shot by.

“You take care of the robots then, Samurai,” He whispered. Another shape came like a nightmare through the dark and Aku deflected this one as well, knocking the wind out of him and sending him flying. “The bullets too, if you do not mind. And I will _not_ kill the live ones,”

“I _know_ you can do it without killing them,” Jack said quickly, readying himself, “You are faster and smarter, so you will not need to,”

Jack leapt into the air, decapitating the first drone he came into contact with and sent it flying towards the bullets with a hard kick. The friends of the Shadow Sisters fell away in surprise, running to regroup. Salem herself pulled out a gun and began firing. Jack had to use the drones as a shield.

“Manipulation!” Aku called, as one of the girls flew out of the darkness to his left and he smacked her back out of the circle with the scabbard like she was a baseball. He darted out after the next one before they could charge him, sending several flying out of his way.

“I learned—” Jack called back, dodging a swipe from several sharpener bug-like legs, “From the best!” and he cut them clean off the robot. It screeched in dismay.

Jack dropped to the ground just beside Aku and they backed into one another. The robots circled them, crawling across the ground. Intermixing with armed ‘guards’ and shadowy figures. Jack deflected several more bullets.

Jack stepped back to back with Aku space, panting, he could hear the people in front of him and the robots in front of Aku.

Aku laughed softly, “Are you ready to dance, Samurai?”

“Ready when you are, Demon,” Jack smirked.

Jack and Aku switched sides as they were attacked. And switched sides again. Aku threw Jack around so fast Jack couldn’t have been able to see straight in daylight. But he could hear the robots, and he sliced through them like a table saw, landing beside Aku just in time for Aku to smack two more people out of the way. Salem’s enraged screech mixed with the sounds of explosions. Jack spit black oil from his mouth as he threw Aku out of his way to ricochet the bullets towards the last of the drones. Aku landed on his hands and feet like a cat, knocking someone clean off their feat with the scabbard. He threw the next into his own group.

“Oh my Gods,” Sophia mouthed at Ana, but Ana was not paying attention. She was too busy gawking.

“Can we help them?” Sophia asked into Ana’s ear.

“No, we should stay out of the way now,” she said fearfully.

With the robots now down, Jack switched to straight punches as the last of the standing assailants ran at them. He could hear several of them dropping their weapons and running into the forrest. Salem disappeared into the darkness as the last of her soldiers was knocked to the ground.

Jack turned around slowly, listening carefully for movement. Slowly, he stood straight again.

Aku rolled his shoulders. He let the people who were now getting back up drag their companions away. Glaring all the while. Panicked whispered spread amongst the trees as all of their assailants retreated.

Jack turned to him slowly. Aku held out the scabbard and Jack shook his sword clean before sheathing it and retying onto his belt.

“You… are so fast,” Jack said nervously.

Aku smiled, “You are strong,”

Jack smiled looking away, “Thank you..”

Aku chuckled and Aku looked at him, “I do not think they saw that coming,”

They both burst into uncomfortable laughter.

Sophia stared in awe the entire rest of the walk to her Grandmothers house, but she didn’t ask questions. Ana was so tired she couldn’t even find it in herself to be impressed. She could be impressed tomorrow. Right now, she was just very happy that they were all okay.

The kindly Grandmother, unbothered by being awoken at such an hour, thanked Jack profusely for protecting Sophia. Aku didn’t even try to stay and watch. Ana said goodbye to her friend and they were off again. Jack and Aku smiled at each other. They were filthy, exhausted, and at least for the moment, quite satisfied.

It was hours until they found somewhere to stay. The first three places had rejected them. One of them was obviously because they recognized Jack and were afraid. Which was fine, he was not offended. Although Aku and Ana both seemed to be vexed by it. The second place said they were full but Jack thought it was probably because they looked _terrible_. The third place had locked the door before they’d made it that far.

But this place, this dingy little hotel, currently being run by a judgmental looking teenager, had allowed them in. The teenager had looked them over unhappily and then, to Jack’s surprise, asked:

“Are you guys okay? Do you need me to call a nurse?”

“No, we just need showers,” Jack said, probably sounding almost as desperate as he was feeling. Ana looked like she was asleep as she stood there, slowly listing to one side.

“Okay, no problem, I’ll set you up afterwords, mkay?” she said, punching information into her glowy book. She handed them the key and Ana promised to come back and pay after they were clean. The teenager, still looking morosely critical, said in a kind voice:

“No rush, I’ll be here all night,”

Jack thanked her and the three of them hurried away, so beyond ready to be clean and rest again.

Aku threw their bag on the floor next to the sink and groaned, laying down on the tile floor.

“Are you okay?” Jack asked, smiling.

“Yes, wonderful, shut up and take a shower so I can also take a shower,”

Ana used a wet towel to clean herself up as she wasn’t nearly as dirty, changed into pajamas she had in her backpack and immediately fell asleep on the green plush couch.

Aku poured out the contents of the bag, quickly hiding the lubricant in a drawer when it fell out. He paused when something small and black fell beside to his foot.

“Oh…” Aku stared in shock, and shook his head, “Jack,”

Jack hummed as he looked over at him, pausing his attempt to understand a new shower set up. Aku held up the flash drive.

“We… never looked at the footage…”

Jack’s eyes went wide, “I do not think you did it,” he said confidently.

“Will this help us find out _who_ did?”

Jack frowned at it sadly, “Perhaps… But.. First,” he closed the door and Aku sighed, setting the drive down on the side table.

Even though Jack tried to hurry he was soaked in oil so it took him a few minutes. Aku switched places with him the _moment_ he came back out. Hot water be damned.

The two of them washed their clothes and Jack hung them up while Aku stealthily took Ana’s tablet out of her bad. She didn’t wake up.

Together they sat next to the sink. Aku turned down the volume, put the flash drive into the side of the tablet and waited. It was too bright.

“How much is on this?”

“I do not know,” Aku said, fast forwarding.

The cheap camera didn’t pick up much, busy and drunken people walking by, birds landing and taking off, and then the sun set. A darkness shot across the screen causing it to shift and shake. Jack leaned closer to watch.

“That’s...”

“Not you,” Jack finished, nodding sternly.

“ _Nebula_ ,”

“How can you tell?”

“I—”

Aku snapped his mouth shut when a woman in long blue robes with flaming red hair came into view. She was looking back and forth obviously afraid. A dark figure caught her attention and she stared in open mouthed horror before dropping to her hands and knees. Fire spread across the carts behind her and the pavement _sparked_.

“Nebula…” Jack mumbled and swallowed painfully.

It happened so fast then, though Jack was holding his breath, as if he hoped hard enough he could change what he knew was on this video. Ania sat up slowly, saying something that he could not hear and Nebula’s Aku moved. She shook her head, staring up at him.

And then she stopped. Blood shot across the ground and into the stones. She collapsed onto her face. The stone was melting all around her.

Aku could see the gentle movement of her ribs struggling as she struggled. The heat washing in around her and setting her clothes ablaze.

A scream shot through the tablet and Aku nearly threw it, scrambling with the volume to turn it off.

Jack sat very still. It happened so fast! Yet horribly slow… He had to close his eyes, just to remind himself that this was _real_. It did not look real. One moment she was alive, moving, and speaking. Then there was blood. All captured on this indifferent video footage. Jack’s lips twitched.

Aku looked at him and saw that there were tears in his eyes, though his face was stoic as ever, or perhaps he looked angry. The video continued but Aku turned it off, sliding the tablet away.

It wasn’t new to him. It wasn’t new to _Jack_ either, they had both seen death, and yet this one… Aku glanced down at his hands and saw his fingers were just barely shaking. He shook his head and leaned back against the sink.

Ana hadn’t woken up. She was still exhausted.

“That was _her_ ,”

Aku blinked, “Ania? Yes, she does look exactly like her mother doesn’t she?”

“No,” Jack said sadly, “The _scream_ ,”

Aku tensed, looking at Jack.

“That was Ana screaming,” he explained wiping his eyes on the sleeve of his robe and glaring at the tablet.

Aku looked over at Ana again. Her red hair was a mess, laying over the dark skin of her face. She breathed softly. That scream had happened months ago now…

“I am sorry I thought it was you,”

Aku snickered, “eh…”

“I suppose this is not so meaningful to you?”

Aku whipped his head around, his eye brow twitching.

Jack smiled sadly, “It is?”

He grunted, looking away, “I _like_ Ana,”

“I know, I do too,”

“She cannot come with us,”

“No, she cannot,”

They both stared at her for a moment longer.

“So you stabbed me for nothing,” Aku said with an awkward smirk.

Jack elbowed him in the ribs.

“My fire… does not _melt_ stone,” Aku whispered, looking into Jack’s eyes, “That takes a kind of heat I do not think I even possess,” he mumbled semi bitterly.

“I do not think you did it,” Jack reiterated and Aku sighed.


	28. Brilliant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is mostly mush XD

Fire crackled around his heels and even though his skin burned as if the air itself were on fire, he refused to move, he refused to be pushed back any further. Darkness in great pointed waves shot across the hills towards him. Everything ached. The gashes across his chest were bleeding and throbbing. Aku rose up into his familiar towering form, his claws shifting through the air so fast they let out a sharp snap. Jack knocked him back with his sword. Aku screamed in a fury, slashing out again.

Jack saw red.

He sliced through the air as claws descended upon him. Left. Right. _Left_.

Scenes flashed in the corners of his memories. Aku escaping into the sky, laughing. Sending fire through a blur of combined places. Laying on the ground beneath him, as Jack held up the sword. So close. He was _so_ close.

“Jack?”

Aku tried to move out of the way. Jack’s sword was gone, he had no idea what had happened. He screamed, but no sound came forth. Jack pinned him to the ground. Aku tried to move again. Jack held him down.

“Jack? _Jack_?”

Aku made a strange noise. Like he couldn’t breath. Jack’s vision blurred slightly and he felt fingers running across his face. Aku stared up at him with a strange look on his face and Jack suddenly realized—he _couldn’t_ breath. He was choking.

Green eyes were staring at him. They were so confused and… afraid.

He let go in a shock and Aku immediately took in a sharp breath. He coughed, gasping painfully, and gasped Jack’s upper arms. Jack’s vision blurred in and out for a moment before cold white fear gripped him.

“Oh-Gods!” Jack asked in a raspy voice.

Aku wheezed, his eyes watering as he struggled to catch his breath.

“Are you alright!?” Jack asked automatically, knowing very well he was not. Jack pulled him upright and reached out to him but Aku cringed.

Jack’s whole body froze and his brow furrowed. He couldn’t help. He had nearly killed Aku, _in his sleep_. He guiltily shrank away, watching Aku struggle with wide terrified eyes.

It took a few long minutes for Aku to finally catch his breath again.

“Gk…” Aku murmured, tilting his head down and compulsively running his hand down his throat, “You…” he wheezed again.

“Wait-” Jack slid away and took a bottle of water from their bag-or the pile of stuff inside the bag that had been thrown on the floor. He returned but stopped a couple feet away, opting to hold it out to him instead. Aku took it wordlessly and Jack stared angrily at the floor.

Dizzy with confusion and time disorientation.

“You have quite a strong grip,” Aku whispered, fixing Jack with a sarcastically amused glare.

Jack turned away, grimacing.

“N…nightmares, Samurai?”

Jack glared at him, “I am _so_ sorry,”

Aku wiped his still streaming eyes on his sleeve and shook his head, drinking more water.

“Do not just brush it _off_ ,” Jack implored,

“Ana must be really tired since she did not wake up,” Aku observed passively.

Jack glanced at her softly breathing form for only a moment before rushing towards Aku and kneeling on the floor next to where he was sitting on the bed, still half tangled in blankets.

“I am sorry, _I am so sorry_ ,”

Aku’s eyes rolled, “Jaaack,”

“I could have killed you!”

Aku smiled a little.

“Why will you not take this seriously?” Jack demanded.

The desperation in his voice made Aku pause his teasing expression and fix him with a more serious stare.

“What do you want me to do? _Cry_? Be angry?”

Jack groaned and sat back on the floor, leaning against the wall with a huff.

Aku eyed him, rubbing over his throat.

“Never mind, you are right,” Jack said flatly, “This is not about me. Please tell me if you need anything.”

Aku growled and slid onto the floor next to him with a dull thud, leaning against him.

“I am not angry,”

“Why?”

“Do you want me to be angry?”

Jack thought for a moment, “No, I-I is just… I deserve it.”

Aku scoffed, “Deserve it? For having a dream about killing me? I must admit I am jealous. How often do you dream of killing me in your sleep? I have never been able to control my dreams like that.”

Jack glared, “ _It was not a good dream_ ,” he hissed, glancing at Aku’s neck where he could see dark bruises starting to bloom before he tore his gaze away.

Aku sighed. Humans were so confusing. Jack felt bad for attacking him. Jack was angry that Aku was _not_ angry with him. So now _he_ needed reassurance? Wasn’t Jack supposed to reassure _him_ that he wasn’t going to strangle him again? He scrubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands.

“You are supposed to comfort me, I think, since _you_ are sorry.”

Jack scoffed amusedly, but that immediately softened his expression, “I… I am sorry,”

“I know. Oh! Is that it? I am supposed to forgive you?”

Jack sighed and shook his head, “No, no- I do not know. I just want you to know that I am sorry.”

“I can see that you are,” Aku said and shrugged.

“You are not afraid I will do it again?”

Aku thought about this for a moment, squinting in the dark, “Not… really… Ah, I mean, I think it is very likely that _you will_ do it again. I am not _afraid_ that you will.”

Jack blinked confusedly, “You looked, um… not to offend you,” he said softly, meeting Aku’s piercing gaze with his sad one, “You looked scared…”

“I could not breath,”

“That is what I-I-How are you not scared, if you think I will do it again? I do not understand? How are you not angry with me?”

“Calm down, Jack,” Aku said with a small smile, glancing over to make sure Ana was still asleep, “It must have been bad. This dream. If it caused you to defend yourself this way.”

“D-” Jack balked and then covered his face with his hands. He had begun to shake.

Aku gingerly put his hand on Jack’s shoulder.

“You say defend myself?” he muttered between his fingers, unable to stop his teeth chattering, “ _I attacked you_.”

“I assumed by the look on your face that you had reason for it in your dreams,”

Jack choked down a shutter. He wasn’t even sure what was happening to him anymore.

“ _I do not want to lose you_ ,”

The words escaped Jack before he really had time to register what he’d said. He dropped his hands into his lap and glared at the floor.

“w…what?” Aku croaked.

“You have been everything in my life. My enemy for so many years. And for these last few, confusing months, my best friend,” he admitted with a shudder, “I almost _killed_ you,”

Aku was painfully quiet and after a few moments Jack couldn’t stand not looking at him anymore. He looked to see if Aku was glaring…

But he was just watching Jack. His thoughts lost somewhere in the phosphorescent green void. Jack reached out again slowly, and Aku didn’t flinch away from him when he gently felt the bruises along his neck. Hoping that touching them would somehow lessen the unconscious betrayal.

“You…” Aku furrowed his brows, putting his hands over Jack’s before he could pull them away, “You are upset because you would feel sad if you killed me on accident?”

Jack swallowed the small laugh, and it came out as a garbled wheeze, “I feel guilty because I hurt you… I would be devastated if I killed you. I would be devastated if you were killed…”

Aku just watched him, like he was slowly growing antennae, or splitting into two like an amoeba.

“I-I would prefer if you did not leave.”

“It is not _me_ who is leaving, remember?” he reminded him.

A cold silence fell between them.

Jack couldn’t think of anything to say. After a while, he lead Aku back into the bed and hugged him. Jack didn’t question the sharp fingernails in his back when he was yanked closer. He did not want to think anymore. If he could just freeze, stay like this forever, he would.

Snow began to fall. Ana and Jack were still very tired when they woke up around noon. Ana insisted that they go out and eat after she’d cleaned herself off. Jack woke Aku but he insisted that he’d meet up with them later if he felt he could stand it. He’d gotten another migraine. They left him with a cup of water and pain medication. Jack checked the bruises on Aku before they left. They were quite dark and irritated he noted with a guilty twang.

“What is wrong?” Ana asked quietly under the loud music and happy murmurings of other patrons. The two of them had founda nearby pub which seemed what seemed to be a quiet enough. Jack sat at the table with his eyes boring holes into a scratch in the table.

“Hey, Jack?” Ana asked again, poking him gently.

“What?” Jack asked, looking at her with wide eyes.

Ana eyed him worriedly, thanked the waitress when their drinks were set on the table, and said, “What’s wrong?” as soon as they were alone at the table.

“What do you mean?”

“You look very angry,” She told him, “Did you have a bad dream or something?”

Jack twitched and ground his teeth. She patted him on the wrist, lending her sweet sympathetic expression to him, that he did not feel he deserved. He smiled sadly and pretended to be distracted by the menu.

All he could think about what was he had done to Aku and how horrible he still felt about it. It was weighing on his thoughts almost as hard as it was on his shoulders. Perhaps he had been a little over dramatic. But Jack wasn’t sure Aku would admit it if Jack had managed to hurt him even if he really had. It wasn’t the first time he’d nearly killed him.

He’d nearly killed him the first time they’d met.

Aku had come quite close to finishing him off as well.

They had survived each other. Jack didn’t think he could live with himself if he had… he couldn’t even manage to think of it. It would have been a jarring realization only a short while ago. Could he even go back to fighting? If Aku got his powers back? If Aku went back to the way he was?

Jack glanced up and saw Ana leaning forward on her elbows, covering her face with her hand as if hiding. Two men were loudly arguing with one another. He smiled reassuringly at her.

“Are _you_ okay?” he asked her.

“Yeah?” she squeaked, “Should we go somewhere else?”

“Because of their debate?”

She nodded frantically but he frowned and tilted his head.

“Man, _shove off_ ,” the gruff bartender said to a man hunched over in a stool. A couple people dared chance a glimpse of the argumentees. The bartender shoved the guys beer down the bar, away from him, “How many times have _you_ fought off Aku, eh?”

Jack tensed. Ana’s eyes went wide and she motioned to the door.

The waitress paused beside their table eyeing the loud conversation at the bar with a weary squint.

“Uh, do you guys need a minute to order?”

“Yes please,” Ana told her.

She whisked off again.

“It is fine,” Jack said with a shrug, “They are not talking about me, there is no reason to worry,”

She anxiously pulled at her hair and then drank some of her soda, trying to occupy herself. Jack glanced back down at the menu, he knew he was going to get what he always got in places like this, but he should look at it, right? That was only polite.

“I’m just sayin’” the guy continued. Everyone was still talking and laughing, loud music was playing, and yet they could hear every word clearly, “It’s been years since the guy showed up and he still hasn’t—”

“Like I said, you aint either, have ya?”

“I don’t got a _magical sword_ ,” he said, glaring.

“Yeh, Well, that’s probably a good thing, huh?”

Jack compulsively hunched forward, keeping himself low.

“They-they have pizza. I love pizza, do you like pizza? I dunno if you would because you usually eat healthier food-but-but-but everyone likes pizza! You should try some of mine if you don’t get your own—” Ana droned awkwardly in an attempt to keep his attention on her.

“—How long is he goanna wander aimlessly around hoping he’ll just figure it out. Make a fuckin’ plan, you know??”

The barman grunted disapprovingly.

“Omg, have you ever tried a soda before?? I bet you would hate it. That would be funny, you should try and tell me why its awful because I'm used to it!”

“He can shape shift? Like, so what?” the man went on, shoving a newspaper at the barman, “You would think the guy had that all figured out by now. _Make a trap and set it all up._ ”

The barman scowled, “Shape shifting aint nuthin’ to stick your nose up at, buddy.”

“Other creatures can shape shift,”

“Yeh, so what? Can _you_?”

“Haha I wish,” the man cackled.

“Jack, do you wanna get a salad and like, split it with me? What kind of salad do you like? I know a lot of this stuff has like, salt and whatever and stuff in it and—”

“—Unpredictable, that’s what Aku is. There’s a reason nobody’s been able to do it for so long. like it’s suddenly easy cuz you got a—”

“But memorize the moves!” he insisted, slapping his hands down on the bar. The waitress backed away a few feet, eyeing the argument.

Jack’s hand shook, he covered the side of his face, trying to contain his own scowl.

Ana frowned, “Do you wanna leave?” she asked again, very softly. He shook his head.

“How can you memorize something unpredictable?!”

“He’s only got so many things he can do to shape shift- like-what? Animals and monsters? But he’s always hiding behind all his drones. Guys a coward and people fall for his tough guy bullshit because he’s got a ‘scary’ name,”

“The name is scary _now_ because it’s _His_ name, idiot,”

“I am tellen’ you! He’s weak. Weak! Way more than people think he is, it’s what he wants everybody to think- right?” the man whorled around and looked at all the patrons close to him.

“What do you think, eh? The man gets all his henchman to do the dirty work for him, he’s a princess up there, hiding himself. Now that there’s a _real_ demon up in here.”

Jack grimaced.

“He is not weak, that’s insane,” the bartender grumpily added.

“He—”

“Aku has many, _many_ powers,” Jack corrected irritably, “Shape shifting is the one he is most _known_ for.”

The drunk man looked at him annoyed, “So what? Doesn’t Samurai Jack _know_ that shit? Can’t he figure it out? Like shape shifting is the main—”

The door opened and Ana looked over, her eyes bulging. She turned to Jack but he was completely focused on the man.

“Aku _can_ shape shift and this is a very rare trait in any creature. But not _only_ that, he can change sizes. He becomes the _weight_ of what he has shifted into accordingly. He can move _mountains_ if he wants too—”

“Well thats why he’s gotta get it all figured out because—”

“And!” Jack hissed, cutting him off, “He can control fire, he can use lasers, he is completely invulnerable to _non_ magical weapons! Normal weapons don’t do _anything_ , bullets, arrows, bombs, nothing a regular army has can touch him!

“But he’s got a weakness he already knows about. If he’s got the sword, why doesn’t he make a plan!? Attack him when he’s, like, vulnerable?”

Jack huffed, “When? When he appears from the shadows? It cannot be night because he can see in the dark—so you cannot use that against him. He is smart, and clever, and fast, and completely unpredictable in his attacks. He does not need to breath, or sleep, he can move between spaces at lightning speed, he can _summon bodies from the dead_ , his screams can rupture your eardrums!”

Jack took an angry drink of water.

“Y-yeah,” the guy said, looking uncomfortably at Jack now, “But doesn’t the Samurai know that stuff!? How come he—”

“ _The Sa-mu-rai,_ ”

Jack instantly froze in place and then choked on his water. Familiar hands squeezed him lightly on his shoulders.

“Is the only one who has ever even come close to defeating Aku, what do you know of it? Do you follow it all the magazines?”

The man went red in the face.

“Fuck you man,” he grumbled, “The Samurai—”

“Does the _best_ job,” Aku hissed.

“Then why is Aku still around, eh!?”

“God, man, can’t you give it a rest!?” the bartender growled.

Aku’s eyes sparkled deviously, “If Aku were so easy to destroy, he would not be Aku, would he? Someone stronger would have taken away his power by now.”

“But people think he’s- but, The Samurai can do it and he doesn’t!”

“He has come quite close,”

“But he hasn’t actually done it!”

“No one has. No one else has ever come so close to the demon, if it were so ‘ _easy_ ’,

why would it take such a _strong_ ,” he purred, squeezing into Jack’s shoulders,

“ _Brilliant_ ,” Jack felt his face burning, it was the only thing he could feel besides Aku’s long fingers on him,

“Disciplined,” Jack blinked,

“and _extraordinarily powerful_ warrior, to even get _close_ to him?” Jack swallowed, Aku ran his thumbs along his collar and Jack stared determinately at the cup on the table in front of him.

The man glared, “Yeah… w-whatever,” he mumbled and turned back to the bar.

Jack breathed out a sigh, trying desperately not to look at Aku as he slid into the chair next to him, leaning his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand. He could feel the burning stare.

Ana scoffed amusedly, “ _Wow_ ,” she mumbled, trying to hold in her giggles, “That timing tho,”

Jack smiled despite himself, blinking shyly at Aku. Aku was staring at him with one eyebrow raised, smirking like the _devil_ he was. Jack shivered and covered his face. Ana giggled again.

“I … I did not know you were here,” Jack said,

“Oh, Jack,” Aku said smugly, “So all those lovely compliments were _not_ meant for my ears?”

Jack struggled to find words, which was made even more difficult as Ana was also struggling not to laugh.

“What can I get’cha friend?” the waitress said, appearing beside them with her little note pad. Aku couldn’t even bare to take his eyes off Jack.

“Water,” he mumbled disinterestedly,

“He want’s tea,” Ana corrected, “No sugar, like at all, and your-your uhm,” she looked at the menu and pointed, “We are getting these things please,” and she began her list.

“Mkay,” she said brightly and walked away.

“How are you feeling?” Jack asked nervously, looking over Aku’s bruises.

“ _Wonderful,_ ” he whispered delightedly,

“I mean your—”

“I know what you meant,” Aku said quickly, “Forget it happened,” he nodded sternly and then went back to his smirking, “That was the single most magical apology I have ever received,”

Jack sighed and reached around, despite the fact that he knew Ana was staring at them confusedly, and pulled the scarf he was wearing down lower,

“Holy _Gods_ ,” Ana said sharply, “Is that from yesterday?”

“Yes,” Aku said and shrugged, “It’s just bruising, it will go away,” he assured her.

“What about your headache?” Ana asked.

Aku leaned his head on his hand and grinned, “You both are so concerned with my health,”

“Yeah well I’m your other best friend,” Ana said defiantly, crossing her arms.

Aku smiled and stole her soda. She ignored it.

The waitress came back repeatedly to ask if they needed anything. More soda was quickly delivered and their food appeared much more quickly than the tables close by. Ana sighed as she watched the woman trying to hide in the hall to take a picture of Aku with her cellphone.

Aku jolted in place, looking at Jack with wide eyes. He felt Jack’s fingers spread out over his leg, just above his knee, squeezing him. What on _earth_ was …? He supposed it was fine… Well it was completely fine with him. But Jack was not usually so touchy. Ana was squinting sideways and Jack’s eyes were moving rapidly back and forth. Aku glanced over to see what he was glaring at. The waitress was staring. Aku blinked in confusion. The waitress smiled, at _him_. Aku looked away, back down at the hand on his leg. He put his hand on Jack’s.

“ _What_ has gotten into you?” Aku whispered, amused. Or amazed. He couldn’t decide.

“Nothing…” Jack whispered. He could hear the frustration.

The waitress was cleaning something. Coming closer.

Aku leaned closer Jack, “I have never seen you… _jealous_ ,”

Jack grimaced, “I am..no.. I-I…”

Aku closed the small distance between them, kissing Jack on the cheek. Jack burned red. The waitress did a u-turn in the corner of Aku’s vision and Aku smirked.

“Oh my _Gods_ , cut it out,” Ana said, giggling.

Jack blushed even harder.

“Ahhh,” Aku said, pretend glaring at her, “You can’t tell _me_ what to do.”

Ana stuck her tongue out at him and he snickered.


	29. Godlike Powers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some crazy shit happens, man.   
> Welcome to the party Yerena!

“Master is here!”

“Master is here!”

The Shadow Sisters cried. Salem tilted her head down, listening carefully. She quickened her pace down the hall and into the wide chamber, where she saw— Her lips tightened into a little frown. Before the crowd of her chanting sisters stood a fiery figure. Salem pushed through the first line of girls, sending them tumbling to the hard ground. The rest soon paused their chanting to make a path.

Salem’s cold eyes narrowed as she passed them, fixing her gaze upon the fire. She stopped in front of the fire and stared, the hot air blowing her hair out of her face and she smiled.

“Welcome to the home of the Shadow Sisters,” she said, giving a low bow, and then as she rose with an evil smile, “Nebula The Sleeper,”

The fire quelled and swirled into a smaller shape. The girls behind her cried out in a panic and rapid clicking filled the hot air.

“Quiet!” Salem screeched at them and they fell to their knees to obey, “It is not our place to question the will of an Elder Demon,”

The fire burned red and Nebulas small form came into view before them, smirking down at Salem. Nebula took long elegant strides across the air, lightning fizzling in and out of existence with each step.

“Not so easily fooled, servant,” he jeered.

Salem stared unflinchingly into the lifeless blue eyes.

“I am but a slave to Master Aku,” she told him.

Nebula snickered amusedly, “I see it in your soul,”

“I hope you have not come to bring us word of our Masters demise?”

Nebula laughed, shaking his red flowing hair out of his wide eyes.

“ _Fearless_! Unfortunately for myself, I have not, I came to see...”

He landed silently on the floor and stepped towards her, and as if gravity flipped a switch on him, his hair fell over his shoulders and onto the ground behind him like a cloak of blood-stained silk.

Salem waited for him to speak. She knew that this meeting did not bode well for her Master, and demons besides their own were not to be trusted.

“What a _ticky-tacky little prison_ he has trapped you all in,” he said softly.

Several of the sisters stared daggers at the ground. They choke down their anger since Salem did not react.

“Master does not waste gaudy finery on his most humble of slaves,” Salem said with a proud little smirk, “We Sisters will stay here or in any place he sees fit for us.”

Nebula sighed, “I see... such short lives wasted on the worship of a weak demon! Should you not save such dispensation suffering for a real god?”

Salem’s lip twitched. But it was the only visible sign that she was annoyed by the insult.

“Neither are you a God,” she said.

Nebula laughed again, flashing his pointed teeth at her, “Shadow Sister! So brave and loyal. Cruel and... ‘creative’...”

Salem didn’t respond, though her smile faltered slightly at the praise once bestowed upon her by Aku himself. How he knew of such things, she didn’t know.

“I know _everything_ , mortal,” he whispered, walking slowly around her. Salem kept her eyes on him, “You humans cannot help but bare their minds through their eyes,”

One of the girls who did not move quick enough was pressed into the floor with the heel of his foot. Face down into the cold floor she screamed, the smell of burning flesh choked the air. The other Shadow Sisters stood and backed away, watching their companion sadly.

Salem didn’t blink.

“Do you wish to frighten me?” She asked blankly, the girls cries grew louder and breathless as her skin melted into the floor. Soon she had gone completely silent.

“Oh, whoops,” Nebula said, tapping on his bottom lip,

“You are much stronger than us, it is true,” Salem stated in an unimpressed voice, pressing her fingers together, “But your threats are an idle use of your time, Sleeper, we will not be bullied. We will die or you will take what you want and leave us.”

Nebula snickered, pulling his heel out of the still melting corpse of the girl. Salem stared at them both pitilessly.

“Do you care about your girls at all?”

Salem sneered, “We will all be together in hell. Your torment means nothing to us. _That one was called Janine_. I will see her again.”

Nebula scoffed and rolled his eyes, “I see.”

“I thought you _knew all_ , Sleeper, why do you waste my time with your questions?”

Nebula snickered, and motioned for her to come closer.

Several of her girls ran forward, one grasping her by her arm and another two standing in front of her.

“Foolish!” Salem snapped, “You think you will stop him?”

Nebula snickered, “Come on now, children. Let her go.”

Salem waited for them to move out of her way and then approached Nebula with her head held high and her hands clasped together as if in prayer.

“What will it take for you to be mine instead of Aku’s?” Asked Nebula in a spidery voice.

Salem searched his cold eyes with her own. She flung her head back and threw out her arms.

“Nothing shall take me from my Master! Not even _Death_ can rend me from him!”

Nebula frowned at her.

“I love your enthusiasm. What will you do when I kill him?”

Salem ignored him, clasping her hands together again. The Shadow Sisters all did the same, bowing their heads.

Nebula huffed and grasped her by the hair, tossing her to her knees. With no more than a gentle motion, he snapped the bone of her upper arm. Her eyes flew open wide but no sound escaped her.

The Shadow Sisters looked on but did not come to her aid again.

Salem clenched her teeth so hard that saliva began to dribble from the corner of her lips as she smiled.

“Do you want me to give in? Soon you will have a useless corpse!” Salem cackled, “Bring me back from the dead! Torment me in the name of my Master! Neither pain nor death have hold of me. I fear nothing! Soul, Mind, or Body— _I will never serve you!”_

Nebula smiled, his form crackled at the edges.

“IMPOSTER!” A voice cried and Nebula’s eyes shot upwards towards the second level. His blue eyes went wide before he was drenched in a shower of bullets.

“I WILL HAVE YOUR SOUL GIRL!” Nebula screeched at the newcomer. Fizzing where bullets had penetrated his body.

“You keep saying that, _Bitch_!”

Nebula shot lightening across the room but she dove onto the bottom level, shooting him all the while. He smoked and hissed at the edges and screamed in a burst of fire and electricity.

“YOU SHALL WATCH YOUR MASTER FALL!” He cried as he disappeared.

“ _Yerena_!” Salem laughed, falling onto her back. The girls ran to her and to the still melting body of Janine.

“Salem, my girl,” Yerena said joyfully, “That was excellent show, Master will be so proud of you,”

“Perhaps,” Salem said happily. Slowly, with Yerena’s help, she got to her feet and looked over at Janine, “Is there enough of her left for the ritual?”

“Yes,” one of them announced, covering her mouth with the cloth of her sleeve.

It had stopped snowing, but there was a solid white blanket across the field of the empty park they had chosen to stay in. Jack sat beside Aku, watching Ana off in the distance, rolling snow into a large ball.

“She is cute,” Aku said, “Now focus, we have things to do.”

Jack smiled at him, “Okay. I will relax.” He steadied his breathing, and although he could still vividly feel Aku’s presence, it was no longer obtrusive. It simply was.

Aku watched Jack for a moment, wondering how in the 7 hells he could just _shut down_ like that. _Meditation was like a drug_! He shook himself out this thought and held out his hands. As he expected, nothing happened. Aku flicked his wrist out, stretched his fingers, and glared. Nothing.

Jack sighed contentedly.

Aku glanced at him again. Jack had just the slightest little smile in the corners of his lips. Aku knew Jack was still carrying around the guilt from their little ‘sleep fight’ or ‘ptsd’ episode or whatever it was. He kept forgetting it happened. Honestly, the bruises were mostly around the muscles on the side of his neck and, granted, they hurt a little, but his throat was okay. He wondered if Jack would have been so quick to defend his image if he had not been feeling bad. He hoped he would have.

Mmm, the compliments went straight to his head like a shot of whiskey every time he thought of them. He heard it this time before he felt it.

Fire flickered around his still human hands.

“Huh,” he said curiously.

Jack couldn't help but also look, “What.. What does it feel like?”

“What? Being on fire?”

“Yes,”

“Ah… hot?”

Jack burst into laughter and Aku shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“I hope it is not so unpleasant !” Jack said with a grin.

Aku hummed and stared at his fingers for a moment. His black fingernails seemed to be—yes, he shifted just his hand and smiled wide.

“You did it,” Jack said, “Can you shift without creating fire? Ah, first I mean?”

Aku shrugged and held out his other hand, and surprised himself when his fingers instantly sharpened, lengthened and turned pitch black

Jack twitched.

“Fear not,” Aku whispered in a mocking voice,

“I shall not fear,” Jack mocked back.

Ana rolled out another ball of snow, this one was a bit smaller than the first, _now giant_ , ball of snow. She placed the second one on top of the first and then knelt to push the snow together.

“How far can it go, do you think?”

“ah…” he glanced suspiciously at Jack.

“What?”

“…let me see,”

He let out a sigh, just as Jack did when he was trying to calm himself. Darkness shot up his arms and into his shoulders and with a confused “GK!” it stopped at his neck.

Jack realized he was gawking and shut his mouth, “Are-are you okay? Did that _hurt_?”

“No,” Aku said and set his clawed hands down on the bench, staring down at his black boots. He knew he’d shifted all the way to his feet. He could _feel_ it. But…

“Hey! Look! I built a snowman- _Oh my Gods_ ,” Ana stared at Aku’s hands and tilted her head.

“Sorry-” he said, and quickly shifted back into his human form with an almost guilty look that Jack did not miss.

“Your claws look super cool,” she said in a strained falsetto, “Did…did uh…did you see my snowman?”

“Yes! eh…Little Queen… excellent,”

“I like it,” Jack agreed, smiling at her snowman who was waving mismatched stick arms.

“Thaaaaanks,” She said, “So uh…You-you have your powers back?” She asked, furrowing her brows a little.

“You look ... uh… unhappy,” Aku said,

Ana shook her head, “Nope. No! Are you guys hungry?”

“Yes..?” Jack said, looking concerned.

“Are you okay?” Aku asked.

She nodded, “I’ll grab us a snack, m’kay?” she said in a rush, and ran across the field of snow towards the street.

Aku had a _bad_ feeling about that.

That night they had to bring up her traveling with them. Jack was dreading it. He was quite sure he’d rather be loosing a fist fight.

“You’re seriously going to try and leave me again?” Ana cried the moment it was brought up, glaring between the two men.

“Yes, Ana,” Aku said, glaring back, “Do you not _recall_ the last time we let you come with us?”

Ana frowned, looking at the floor sadly, “Y... yeah,” she shivered and nodded, folding her arms and nodded “You’re right,... I just don’t wanna be alone, you know? I... you guys showed up right after so I haven’t had to live by myself...”

“We will not leave you _alone_ ,” Jack said, “You should go back to school, at least stay with your friends,”

She blinked, “You mean stay at Hugh’s house?”

“Who is that?” Aku asked tersely.

“My Mom’s best friend who I used to stay with to go to school,”

“Then, yes, that one,”

“Yes,” Jack agreed, “We do not want to leave you alone either. If I could I would take you along but…”

Ana paced back and forth in the little room before sitting on the couch she’d slept on.

“Will… will you do something for me?”

“Maybe,” Aku said, looking over her forced calm expression.

“Sure,” Jack said and then side eyed Aku.

She looked up at him and Aku could see she was struggling with it.

“Ana?” Aku prompted.

“I want to ask you…”

“ _What_?”

“You-you are getting your powers back?”

“N-not.. all at once. Some of- Why? Why do you ask?” a sense of foreboding came over him.

“m…my mother,” she mumbled.

Aku stared down at her, waiting anxiously for whatever it was. Dreading what he thought it was.

“Can you help her?”

“Wha-your- _what_?”

She looked up at him with pleading eyes and the request struck him like a punch.

“No!” he said quickly, moving away from her and pulled his fingers through his messy hair.

Jack blinked slowly

She followed, “But,.. why? You won’t even _try_?”

“No! I cannot! I will not! No!” he growled, bunching his shoulders together like he was hiding from a bright light.

“Why!?” Ana asked, her eyes already welling up, “I… Thought you cared about me…”

“Ah! I _do_!” he said, angrily, turning back around, “That is not- That has nothing to do with it! I said No! AB-SO-LUT-ELY NOT!”

“Aku.. Ana..” Jack mumbled, holding his arms out, looking between them.

“ _Please_!?”

“ _I said no_!” Aku yelled, “ _No_!”

“But you are _Aku_!” Ana screeched, pointing at him, tears streaming down her face, “They say you can bring the dead back to life!”

Jack tensed. Oh. _Oh_.

He was not sure what to say. He looked at Aku, unsure. He had _seen_ this power she was referring too. But it was a terrible thing.

Aku stared at Jack like he might explode if he didn’t intervene, so Jack put his hand on Aku’s arm and his held his hand out to Ana.

“Let us remain calm,” he said gently, and Aku grimaced.

“You really are a monster aren’t you?” She asked in a broken voice.

Aku tensed, and closed his eyes.

“Ana!” Jack cut in angrily.

“I…I cannot bring her back to life.” Aku said stiffly, "I can only _reanimate_ bodies. They are mindless puppets, so even if I did she would still be dead. _Dead_! With no memory of _who she was_ , with no _mind_ at all.”

“So she’s …gone?” She asked though it really wasn’t a question. Aku said nothing.

Aku gave Jack a pleading look and Jack moved to his side, looking just as lost.

“I thought… I…” Ana mumbled.

Then, Ana let out a broken scream that made both Aku and Jack step backwards. She collapsed onto the carpet, grabbing her knees and wrapping her arms around them to rock back and forth. Aku covered his mouth, watching Ana sob on the floor.

Jack pulled Aku closer, and Aku looked at him, startled. Jack was still watching Ana... and comforting _him._ He ground his teeth.

What the hell was he going to do with _this_?

Jack sighed sadly, gripping Aku’s wrist. He glanced down and just barely peaking out of the Samurai’s sleeve was the little glow.

Aku pondered this.

It already had a charge, didn’t it? Perhaps... this was the solution? But… he did not know what Jack wold think of it. Aku tapped him and pointed it out. Jack took only a moment to register what Aku was trying to imply and then went wide eyed.

“I thought you said it was impossible to...”

Aku cleared his throat uncomfortably, “Like I said, I can bring the dead back as _puppets_ but the beads can be used in _necromancy_...”

Ana was still wracked with sobs and didn’t hear the conversation. So Aku continued in a quiet tone.

“She maaaaay be able to _speak_ to Ania,”

Jacks eyes went wide and he immediately looked conflicted.

“Is that right?” He wondered to himself.

“I would have asked _you_ that, _Advisor_.” Aku said, “It may not work. It most definitely will not bring her back… but she might be able to speak with her...”

After a pause Jack nodded and said, “Do it,”

“Yes?”

“I... I think Ania would like to say goodbye to her daughter as much as Ana would like to say goodbye to her,”

There was that human logic he never would have thought of. But he nodded anyway.

“Ana,” Aku called, and she continued rocking back and forth, “Little Queen, look at me,” he said more commandingly.

Ana peered up at him, still sniffling, “I’m _sorry_..” she moaned, “Please don’t hate me, I’m so sorry!”

“Ah...” Aku coughed awkwardly, “Ana, I cannot being Ania back. But perhaps..”

Ana squeaked in shock, peering peering up at him.

Jack untied the knot around his wrist and held out the glowing beads. Ana stared at them, confused.

“I didn’t know they did that,” she said in a high voice, hiccuping slightly, “How?”

Aku took them, and slid one off the end of the string before handing it back to Jack. Jack retied it.

“It is charged, or perhaps.. activated.”

“What... what are you talking about?”

“I can try... and see if Ania will respond… to being _called_.”

Anas’ lips went white and she gawked, “Wh.. what? _Call_ her? What?”

“Yes... call her, so that maybe you can hear her one last time.”

She stared at them, hiccuping sadly as she struggled to pull herself back together, “like a seance??”

Aku scoffed, “Kind of, ah...should we try it?”

Ana nodded, her eyes were still watering but she asked meekly, “Do I need to turn the lights off?”

Aku raised his eyebrows, “If you want?” he said nervously. Ana got up and switched the lights off.

“I- I have-” she pulled a tea candle out of her backpack and set it on the bedside table. Jack pushed it out into the room so the three of them could sit on the couch.

“oh..” she said, sniffling, “I forgot matches—”

Aku reached out and pinched the wick and his hand created a small flame. Ana stared with her mouth open. Aku shook his hand like it was wet, and the fire was extinguished. Ana swallowed.

Jack fidgeted nervously. He did not want to cause Ana any more pain in disappointment but it was _her_ choice, really.

Aku took the bead and inspected it. Both Ana and Jack were staring, his eyes flitted back and forth between them.

“I have not done this before, _stop that_ ,”

Jack looked away. Ana stared at the candle instead.

Aku focused on the bead, it crackled in his palm and fire spit from his palm, red lighting sparking like it was overflowing and then the bead cracked. He groaned. Ana looked up and frowned at the bead.

“It’s okay,” she said very softly, “Uh,”

The bead floated into the air by itself and cast a powerful blue light all through the room. They all stared in surprise.

“Well,” Aku said, “Create a path for Ania,”

It sat in the air, like it was thinking, and then the lights flickered and the candle went out. Jack pushed himself into Aku’s side.

The candle fell on its side and rolled off the table as the bead continued to crack, casting that powerful blue light and slowly a figure began to appear from the haze.

Jack fell sideways into Aku. Aku was not sure if he was scared or trying to keep something away from them. He squinted at Jack.

Hair floated around the room and three sets of cat like green eyes blinked down into the room. Ana slowly stood, her lips partly open, tilting her head to the side. The blue outline formed long spindly arms and then another set of arms, a fog of white light wrapped around her like a dress.

Jack and Aku stood, and Aku gawked, confused. This was not a human ghost. Had he—

“Baby girl,” said Ania, smilingand holding out her arms, all of them, towards her daughter.

Ana burst into tears again, only this time, she laughed as she cried, knocking into the table before she managed to reach up and be lifted into Ania’s arms.

“Mom, Mom, Mom,” she cried, hugging Ania around the neck and sobbing.

Ania petted her red hair soothingly, kissing her on the forehead, “I am so sorry, my baby,” she said softly, “I was going to tell you so much, if I had known… Well. Forgive me,”

“I’m not mad at you,” Ana squeaked, “I missed you, I miss you so bad,”

Ania smiled sadly, kissing her on the head again.

“You are not human,” Jack said gently, still leaning into Aku’s side.

Aku was glad somebody else said it because it was _all_ he could think.

Ania turned, floating so elegantly with her daughter still in her etherial arms, “No, I am not,” she agreed, “I was a nymph. Though, I was raised by humans and I did not know what I was until I was 16. Which is when I planned to tell _you_ , baby girl.”

“How come?”

“Because your powers will be more stable by that time,”

“Oh, thats why I can heal people?”

Ania’s six eyes all went wide and then she smiled, “I always knew you were special, baby girl. I did not realize how powerful you are, blinded, you must forgive me by my love for you. I wanted to keep you safe…”

“That’s cool,” Ana said, squeezing her, “Your dresses wouldn’t have fit so good with lots of arms though,”

Aku snickered and Jack gave him a side eye. Ania laughed too though.

“When I returned to the water where my family is originally from, I took this form, as that is how Nymphs are usually created. They live lives of other creatures and upon their death they choose where they want to play guardian to,”

“Where is your water?”

Ania smiled softly.

“The ocean,” Aku said, blinking.

Ania smiled at him amusedly, “Did you see me, Master Aku?”

Aku blinked, “I did not know,”

“What?” Jack asked softly,

Aku smiled at him, “When I threw you from the cliffside, just before Nebula…”

Jack whipped his head around, “You saved Ana and myself from Nebula’s lightening!?”

“Of course,” she said sadly, “It was all I could do for you two, you can imagine how I felt when I could not save the three of you myself. But…” she smiled fondly at Aku. “I did not need too, you just needed a bit of help,”

“Ah…” Aku shrugged uncomfortably,

“You have taken very good care of my child, _this_ I will always remember.”

Jack smiled at Aku.

“You as well, Samurai Jack, thank you for taking care of my little girl,”

“It has been my honor,” Jack had said, bowing his head.

Ania stared at Aku, “Thank you for taking care of my little girl,” she’d said to him as again.

Aku stared back, nodding slowly, “Your Daughter has taken care of _us_ , Ania. She is my… a Little Queen.”

Ania reached out one of her hands and gently put it on his cheek. He froze in surprise and she cleaned closer, whispering something quietly. Aku smiled.

“Right,” he mumbled quietly,

She smiled at him happily, going back to petting her daughters hair and showering her in hugs and forehead kisses.

“You two seek to put Nebula back into a sleep?”

“Yes?” Jack said,

Ania nodded, “You already know the way?”

“Get Aku’s magic back and work in tandem,” Jack said,

“You two… what you are…surely you know,” she said, the eyes on her right side all squinting slightly.

“We were… mortal enemies?” Jack suggested with a little smile.

“Nemeses?” Aku added.

“No,” She said,

“Foes?” Aku tried again.

“Absolute opposites?” Jack asked smiling.

She held out a finger and hissed, “ _Surely_! Aku, you are not so ignorant?”

“Ah…” the look on his face must have given him away because she smiled and said:

"Good.”

Jack looked at him confusedly but didn’t ask.

“Swift wit, great strength, and passion. Self Control, Skill, Perseverance, and… purines of heart. To follow this path, you will need one another. It requires Aku’s powers and Jack's sword.”

“Yes,” Aku agreed tensely.

“I wish you the best of luck,” then she turned and reached out to Jack. “Samurai,” Ania whispered, reaching her ghostly blue fingers towards him, Jack looked into her green eyes with wonder.

“I must give you this knowledge, what you choose to do with it, is your own decision.”

“What?”

“You will understand,” she assured him, placing her hand on his temple Jack was startled by how cold her touch was, and was about to wonder if all ghosts felt like that before a white light flashed in front of his eyes.

“Samurai?” Ania said softly somewhere to his left, he spun, amazed and confused. He was alone in here…Wherever here was. Ania walked across the dark void of a room, if it was a room at all, he couldn’t tell.

“Ania?”

She smiled, “I should have known it would be easy to reach _you_ here. Welcome to the world between,”

Jacks eyes went wide and he looked around at the void in amazement.

“I have brought you here to show you something that is beyond my power to help you with. Jack, my friend, you have always walked the _difficult_ path.” She held out her hands and Jack watched stars slowly appearing before him, exploding into worlds of color as they spun and multiplied.

“It is not my place to explain the hierarchy of the ethereal planes to you, but you know several of them,”

He nodded, watching the stars moving around.

“Here,” she said, pointing into a particular ball of light, one he would not have noticed if she had not brought him to it, “This is the beginning of the Elder Demons, the birth of the first creatures we know as the Sleepers,”

Jack stared, blinking, “They were the first beings?”

She smiled and shook her head, “Time did not exist until long after,”

“What? I do not...”

“Do not concern yourself with that, my friend, it is beyond us as we are now,”

Jack nodded, “So this is where Nebula was created?”

“Nebula, the second of the 7 demons of the old world, the time _before_ time— was created by a creature known by many names now, perhaps you know Lilith?”

“Is she not evil too?”

“Evil is a human concept, but, by your way of understanding? No. She was a creator, a Mother God, the only demon, and she was lonely. In her fit of emotion she created a new demon, Nebula, the demon of passion.

She could not control him. He was wild from the moment of his conception. So she created the other five after him; the other five elder demons; The Demon Who Wanders, The Demon of Decay, The Demon of The Worlds Between, The Demon of Darkness, and The Demon of Control.”

Jack nodded slowly, “Was she happy then?”

“Perhaps. I do not know. But even while she finished the last of her creations, the beginning of time happened,”

“The Cambrian Explosion?” He asked smiling.

She grinned, “That was the beginning of multicellular life on earth. That happened _after_ the beginning of time,” she assured him, “Many Gods, Demons, and Monsters came into existence. Some fought amongst each other, the Demon of Passion, took his violent temper out on creatures that had been molded into the first self aware mortal life. This infuriated many! The Gods of several hierarchies demanded his end.

But She, his creator, blamed herself for his actions and yet, loved him. Instead of handing him over to the Masters of the Worlds Between, she and her other five creatures set upon capturing Nebula. They blinded him with darkness, bound him in solid stone, Deafened him to the outside, silenced his powerful senses and together, cast a spell upon themselves to sleep.”

“Ah,” he said softly, nodding, “But he has been awoken,”

She nodded, “He cannot be destroyed by any means less than the complete condemnation of a God. The ancient Gods, who see The Demon Creator as one of their good sisters, will not stop him. They do not want to hurt her. They almost never interfere directly with human affairs, so it is up to others to stop him,”

“He wants to kill off all life on the planet! Does this not bother them?”

She smiled, “If your livelihoods meant nothing to the Gods, Samurai, you would not be carrying that sword,”

Jack hung his head, “Yes, of course. Forgive me, I am sorry,”

“Do not be sorry. Your love of all life, and desire to protect it, is what makes you who you are,”

“So _we_ must defeat Nebula, and there is only one way. The Skeleton Tree says, as you say, The Sleeper cannot be destroyed, only put to rest,”

She nodded slowly and moved her hands through the stars, shifting the worlds into different shapes, “Aku as you know him now, could never kill Nebula. Together you two could send him back to slumber, but only time will tell,”

“As... I know him?”

“You see,” she shifted out of existence and Jack saw a face he recognized, though he had only ever seen it in paintings,”

“Hi-no-Kagutsuchi,”

“Very good,” she said smiling, “You know the story?”

Jack nodded, “When he was born, the fire of which he was made scorched his Mother, who died of her injuries. His father, so grieved, beheaded his own son and cut him into eight pieces,”

She nodded, “Those individual pieces became Gods, as well as the blood that dripped from His Father’s sword,”

Jack nodded, “What does this have to do with Nebula?”

“Nothing,” she said, and then the image before him became the grotesque visage of a burnt corpse, bleeding black fire from its disembodied head. The blood, _black blood_ , dripped viscously from the dead infant and as it descended, wisped away at the edges.

Jack slowly put out his hand and the smoky substance rested in his hand, curling at the edges like some strange sea plant.

He had seen this _before_.

Jack breathed shallowly, his voice caught in his throat, shaking. He cupped his hand as if he might drop it, though he knew it was not really there,

“ _Aku_ ,” he gasped,

“Nearly,” Ania agreed,

“ _What_?” Jack, still shaking, looked back up at her.

“As these drops of blood, the blood of fire cut down in a cruel act, pooled on the surface of the Earth, it was forgotten there.”

Jack shivered, “He-he told me that he could hear the people?”

“Aku was nothing but a source of dark energy for some time. A place that drew bad people, hatred, and war. The people who stepped upon him, unbeknownst to both parties, became… saddened, and then, they became _hateful._ Angry!

Human blood was shed, tears fell, the depths of human nightmares were abandoned upon him. Created by the acts of people, he took on the form you know, and Aku was born,”

Jack gawked, aching horribly, still holding the swirling black smoke.

“Aku... is a _God_?”

“He is not a God. You may perhaps see him as closer to a demigod, as he chooses to very directly interact with the creatures who, in part, created him. He does not know.”

“He does not?!”

She smiled and shook her head, “He was abandoned, Samurai, neither the Gods nor Demons ever came to claim him. He belongs to no hierarchy. He is the only one.”

“People call him— _He calls himself_ a demon?”

“He calls himself by the names given to him by your family. Evil, they say he is. So why wouldn’t he be?

Though it is in his nature to be a ruler, as his original hierarchy became leaders, guardians and kings, he followed his instincts unguided. As any young creature will do, which is why he should have been claimed. Yet he never was. So here he stays, Master of Darkness and King of the Planet Earth.

Jack stared, mouth agape, “Wha.. Why are you telling _me_ this? Why not tell _him_?”

“Is it right to tell him now? To weigh him down with the knowledge that he is an _unwanted orphan_? To tempt him with the possibility of becoming a Dark God? I shall not... but, Jack, _you_ may tell him,”

Jack balked, “What? It was my job to kill him! Why would he want this information from _me_?!” He asked with a voice full of pain.

“You are his only family,”

“only…”

“Human companion you may be, but being mortal does not make you weak or unimportant. You have shown him a kind of compassion he has not known from no other. Killing him or, _deciding to not kill him_ , your influence on has effectively changed the balance of the entire world.”

Jack blinked.

“You could make him a God, if you wanted.”

“What!?”

She stared and Jack tried to calm himself, though he felt like he might pass out.

“I… _me_? Why me?”

“It might be possible for someone else to do it,” she said and then frowned, “But if another mortal could do this I should think it would have already happened,”

Jack closed his eyes, breathing shallowly, “What happens if he…”

“If you were to make him into a God, he would have the power to put Nebula back to sleep.”

“But… he would also have the power to… to do _anything!_ ”

“Possibly. No God or Demon is the same. He may stay where he is or he may decide to leave and create his own hierarchy,”

Jack stared.

_His own hierarchy… did.. did that mean he would never see Aku again?_

“I am sorry, Samurai,” she said, “That is all I can offer now,” the dim world blurred.

“Ania No! Wait! I do not understand!”

But he was sitting beside Aku, holding onto his arm, and Aku was still trying to make himself as small as possible to avoid any emotional interactions.

No time had gone by at all.

Jack softly thanked Ania for all she had done, unwilling to interrupt her short time with her daughter, and the two men went into the hallway to leave them be.


	30. Upside-down Marionettes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is mush and then ANGST. I think Jack is stressed out. Hmm.

Jack walked numbly down the hallway towards a staircase that lead to the back of the building. He stumbled down the last few steps and was yanked back onto his feet by the back of his gi.

“Jack?”

Jack grasped the railing, his vision seeming to blur, he could feel Aku coming closer and he couldn’t breath.

“Jack, what is happening?” Aku asked.

Jack jerked in surprise when Aku picked him up off the steps and carried him down the last few, setting him beside the exit door.

“Wha-Ah-I am… sorry,” Jack mumbled, unable to meet his eyes. He pressed his fingers to his forehead to hide his eyes.

Aku watched Jack fumbled clumsily with the doorknob and then hurry into the cold air with a _stricken_ look on his face. He tilted his head as Jack stared down at the sidewalk. Well, he thought he was staring at the sidewalk. It was hard to tell while Jack had his hand on his face like that.

“Hey,” Aku growled, waving his hand beside Jack.

Jack was staring at nothing, no longer present, like he was sleepwalking.

“Hello?”

Jack did not respond.

“Jack.”

Nothing.

Aku grasped him by his gi and swung him around, pinning him to the wall. He braced his arms around Jack’s head, leaning into his face with a growl, Jack yelped like he’d been slapped out of a dream.

“Oh, hello?” Aku said in a mock surprised voice, “Do you _hear_ me now?” he teased.

Jack blinked, “Uh…”

“What is _wrong_ with you?” he frowned, “Are you afraid of ghosts?”

Jack laughed, “No, no… It is not that.”

“So, whatever she told you unnerved you that badly then?”

Jack blinked at him, “You had better _not_ be reading my mind,”

Aku scoffed, “I _cannot_ read your mind. I am human, remember?” he shook his head and rolled his eyes.

Jack nodded. He hadn’t moved though, Aku was still over him, waiting for him to do something. Something Jack-like.

Aku sighed and moved away, leaning against the wall beside him.

“Are you going to act like this from now on? It is really _boring_ , Jack.”

Jack laughed, “S-sorry? I am thinking!”

“You cannot tell me what you are thinking about though, can you?”

“Uhh..”

“Otherwise Ania would have just _said_ it, whatever _it_ is.”

Jack turned and pressed his face against Aku’s collar bone, grasping at his black shirt.

Aku raised his eyebrow, “What? You are going to try and ‘cute’ your way out of this?”

“Whaat?”

“Do not tell me you did not _mean_ to make that face!”

“What face?” he asked, blinking.

Aku sighed, “Oh, Gods, that is even worse. _Stop looking at me like that!_ ”

Jack smiled, a little confused, and hid his face in Aku’s shoulder again, breathing in the smoky smell.

“So?”

“Yes, she told me something I am hesitant—she told me several things I am hesitant to tell you.”

Aku sighed, rolling his eyes. Jack couldn’t even see him but he knew he was rolling his eyes.

“I want to tell you,” Jack told him, with a little pang of guilty apprehension, “But…I do not want to _upset_ you,”

“Hmm,” Aku hummed, leaning closer to his face, “Tell me anyway,”

Jack smiled and shook his head, “You are obnoxious,”

“You are talking about secrets I am not supposed to have, what did you expect me to do? _Pretend not to hear you_?”

Jack scoffed, “I knew you would react like this. I just feel that this information is not mine to keep. But I do not want—”

“I am always upset, Samurai, what the _hell_ is it?”

Jack laughed and pushed himself forward, to pace back and forth on the cold sidewalk. Aku watched him, tilting his head.

“Ania told me… what you are,” he said, grimacing.

Aku’s eyes went wide and then he squinted, pursing his lips. Jack did not miss the disappointed hum.

“That’s _it_?”

Jack gawked, “‘ _It_ ’?”

Aku shrugged, “I am… _me_. I already know I am _me_.”

Jack nodded, “That is… true.”

“She told you to tell me?”

“She told me to tell you if I wanted to tell you.”

“Do you?” he asked in a bored voice, looking down at his fingernails.

Jack gawked,“Yes, of course! But…”

Aku smiled and raised an eyebrow. He did not look up when he growled, “ _Ohhh_ , it is that bad is it?”

Jack scoffed in amazement, “You are not taking this seriously at all!”

He finally looked back at Jack, “It has been _eons,_ and nobody has told me what I am. I do not care what people think I am anymore.”

“ _Really_?” Jack asked skeptically, narrowing his eyes and smirking, “You do not want to know the epic story of your own origins?”

Aku raised his eyebrows high, “Let me _guess_ ,”

“Okay?”

“I was an… accident.”

Jack blinked slowly and then nodded.

“Humans had _something_ to do with it?”

“Yes,” he nodded again, surprised, “Do you already know? I did not mean to offend you if you—”

“No. I have no idea,” he shrugged, “But one more guess,”

Jack tilted his head.

“I am _alone_?”

Jack’s eyes went wide and a cold heavy weight pressed against his shoulders.

Aku smiled, “Startling.” he grumbled sarcastically.

“You… You!” Jack stuttered,

“Forgive my lack of a reaction, I am sure it is all _fascinating_ to you,” he said, waving his fingers like he was gawking at a creature in a zoo, “but it is difficult to care anymore,”

Jack hugged him around the shoulders, and Aku twisted awkwardly, to meet him trying to move closer without falling sideways.

“ _You are not alone_ ,” he said sadly,“I.. I am not what you are, but I am _here_ ,”

Aku raised his eyebrows, “Is _that_ what it is?”

“Wha.. What what is?”

Aku walked around him in a circle like he was checking to make sure Jack wasn’t hiding a plot. Jack didn’t move, he just followed with his eyes, looking very confused.

Aku gently ran the tips of his fingers down Jack’s cheek and Jack blinked, shivering when he moved down over Jack’s neck and stopped just over his heart.

“You are sad… for me?” he said lowly.

Jack glared at Aku’s hand, “Do not mock me for empathizing, I cannot help it,”

Aku scoffed and Jack glared up at him, but was a little taken aback by the the almost soft expression. Still very Aku, with that sarcastic little smirk, but his eyes glowed that light green.

“You are though, are you not?”

Jack blinked, and took in a very cold breath, “ _Yes_ ,”

Aku blinked a few times, shaking his head like he had misheard. “Empathizing…”

“What!?” Jack demanded, feeling his ears getting hot.

Aku snickered, “You are so defensive! I have not insulted you, have I?”

Jack squinted one eye, “Uh-…no? You really do not care to know what she told me?”

He rolled his head back and then narrowed his eyes sharply, “There are two things I want right now, and that information is not even enough to keep my attention,”

Jack scoffed in amazement, “Okay… Well if you-if you change your mind.. What do you want? Nebula to be defeated? and…”

Aku glanced up a the building, “I wonder how long we need to give them. You are going to freeze to death soon.”

“Aku,” Jack said annoyed,

“You already know what I want,” he said, grasping Jack by his chin, “Sa-mu-rai,”

Jack grasped him around the wrist, “I…I am here right now!”

“Yes.” Aku chuckled, “…for now,” he said quietly. He let go, but Jack held onto his wrist.

“W-What did Ania tell _you_?”

“Hmm? When she whispered to me?”

Jack nodded.

“She asked me to keep her daughter safe,”

Jack’s eyes went wide and he swallowed the swell of emotions, glancing up at the dark sky hoping Ana would have some peace after all this. 

Aku wandered around the streets for a while and Jack followed him. They didn’t speak, but Jack did not feel uncomfortable. There were very few people outside, one man shrining lights in a tree, another dragging a garbage bin to the edge of the road, some people walked by the bright windows casting interesting shadows across the snow. Jack flinched when Aku grasped him by the hand and intertwine their fingers.

“You are freezing,” Aku informed him in a small mumble.

Jack sighed, “It is sweet of you to be so concerned for my health,”

Jack fully expected Aku to rebut this but just as they passed beneath a sparkling arch of lights he said, “You are too stupid to do it yourself.”

“Aku!” Jack growled in annoyance, “That is so rude! You—”

Aku kissed him, pausing Jack hummed in confusion and pulled away slightly, turning his head when Aku chased him.

“You cannot just insult me and then kiss me!”

Aku smirked, “Why?”

“Because.”

Aku laughed, and when Jack tilted his head away from another kiss, with a hilariously offended pout, Aku smiled and kissed him on the forehead instead. Jack froze there for a long moment. Then he leaned against Aku, and wrapped his arms around him, under his black leather jacket.

Aku smiled slyly and hugged him back.

“I thought you were mad,” he teased

Jack blushed a deep red.

“Jaaaaack?”

“I... uh, I do not think you have ever just kissed me,”

“What? I have—“

“I know,” he said softly, looking up at him,

“You... only kiss me when we are... ah...”

“ _Oh_ , hmm, Well... in that case,—“

Jack averted his eyes, nervously furrowing his brows. Aku paused his next attack and frowned.

“You think I only want to share sexual affection with you?”

Jacks eyes went wide but he said nothing. Aku nodded thoughtfully.

“I see,”

“I do not-you have just.., I..” jack stuttered

Aku smiled and turned Jacks head back, kissing him gently. Jack melted into him, grasping hold of his lapels. Aku snickered but Jack pushed his lips up against him harder and silenced the noise.

They stayed locked like that for a few moments, and then Jack pulled away, breathless and red in the face. Aku watched him walk on, looking like he had just been caught naked in an alley. He rolled his eyes.

“Where are you goin?”

“W-walking?”

Aku smirked at him and then up at the blinking lights. Jack nervously came back,

“What?”

Aku pointed up and Jack glanced at the little plant dangling under the arch and then glared.

“ _Really_?”

He smiled and shrugged.

Jack crossed his arms, “I thought you just wanted to kiss me,”

“I do,” Aku said deviously, “You keep running away,”

“We are outside… I am afraid that…”

“Unafraid of freezing solid, or dying in battle, the fierce warrior is embarrassed by public affection!”

“I was not raised like that,” Jack said, with his eyebrows high, “I-I-”

“You are supposed to marry a beautiful woman and have lots of heirs to the throne, I think,”

Jack blinked furiously.

“What? Ah-Am I not supposed to talk about that?” he asked, looking like he was trying to decide if he was supposed to be offended or not. Jack watched him struggle with it for a moment before grabbing him by the arm and pulling him away from the arch.

He kissed Aku very gently on the lips and quickly pulled away again.

“You always talk about those things,” Jack said, tilting his head at him before he could say anything stupid and ruin the mood, “But truly, I did not think I was going to live long enough to do any of that so I have not thought about it,”

“Ah…yes.. Jack?”

“Hmm?”

“You are shaking,”

“I am—“

“Shut up,” Aku said with an eye roll and pulled off his leather jacket.

“You! What are you doing? You will be cold!” he said as Aku attempted to wrap it over his shoulders.

Aku raised an eyebrow and looked down at his hands. They burst into flames.

“Oh!” he said in surprise, “Ah- I mean, SEE? I will be _fine_ ,” he said, waving his hands through the air and outing the fire.

Jack blinked.

“You are getting stronger,”

Aku shrugged rather nonchalantly, and Jack wrapped the coat around his cold shoulders.

“Can you do that again?”

“Yes,” Aku whispered, though Jack could hear the assurance.

“Show me?”

Aku narrowed his eyes, “Why?”

“I.. I do _want_ you to get better, you know,”

Aku smiled and shook his head in disbelief, walking down the nearest path towards a bench and Jack hurried after him.

“I am,” Aku said lowly when Jack sat beside him, “I can feel it coming back,”

Jack reached out to touch his hand and Aku froze like Jack might run. He could feel the current again, much more vividly. Actually… It was very powerful.

“Ah, let me show you something!” Aku said, pulling his hands away before Jack could think too hard about anything,

“What is it?”

“Look,”

Aku moved his fingers in a way that reminded jack of marionettes, except upside down, like he was controlling a spider web from below and then- gasped in awe. From the darkness above them burst colorful lights, just dots at first, like fireflies on pause, and as Jack’s eyes focused on them they began to grow, some forming long spindly attachments and others, many legs, all undulating as if they were swimming.

Jack recognized one as some sort of jellyfish and the other creatures looked vaguely like beautiful insects with long elegant antenna and soft simple eyes. Jack rubbed his eyes as they had begun to water from not blinking.

“What are you doing ?” Jack asked in wonder.

“I wanted to... “

Jack waited, watching the strange creatures moving slowly about between the twinkling Christmas lights. Aku pushed himself up against Jack, carefully watching his expression.

“I wanted to show you these creatures which you seemed to like so much...”

Jack gawked, “…these…. these are animals from the beginning of the world?”

Aku smiled, “Yes, The Cambrian Explosion,”

Jack grinned at the jellyfish narrowly missing being eaten by a strangely monstrous looking cross between a shrimp and a scorpion. Alien fish schooled past them, appearing and disappearing at the edges of their circular camp. Giant creatures dwarfed their counterparts, still gliding smoothly through invisible waters. Jack gawked in amazement.

“Is this... fire?”

“Yes,”

“It is so colorful!”

Aku laughed, “Yes, I am _amazing_ ,”

Jack snickered, and sighed, “Yes, you are.” He agreed, rolling his eyes.

Aku smiled at Jack and Jack felt himself going red again and chewed his lip, trying to get himself to stop.

“What else would you like to see?”

Jack’s eyes went wide, “Oh, um...”

“Stars?”

“Yes!” he agreed excitedly.

The animals dissipated and were replaced with distant abstract shapes that took Jack a moment to recognize as clusters of stars. Jack let out a soft gasp.

“How beautiful the world must look to you,”

Aku blinked, peering sideways at Jack’s expression. His mind blanked for a few moments, though the stars still moved in a slow rotation, capturing that enraptured _look_ on Jack’s face.

All his eons of life he had been able to explore these places, see anything he wanted, he was not hindered by normal obstacles like oxygen, gravity, or pressure. It was not difficult for him to pass things by without a second thought.

This was why he’d always liked humans the most. In spite of struggles he had with them, they always amazed him. Humans became shamans, magicians, scientists, writers, and artists. _They could see_. See in a way that had nothing to do with the common threads of thought that bound the world to repetitive meaningless systems. Color was not an indication of what was reflecting light, it was an emotion, a taste, it could mean something. Places had souls. Every little thing had a name, a place to be, a meaning, and a thousand stories to a hundred different people. Each one different. He used their ingenuity to create many things, to discover endless more, and they _never_ ran short of new ideas.

Jack was so human in this way. So creative and determined. All these eons, he’d been amazed by humans.

But...

Never once had one of them made him _feel_ amazed too. Watching Jack experience this? He could swear the enthusiasm had become contagious. Aku forced his attention back into the drifting imagery and, just for fun, added asteroids having them fly through, breaking up themonotony. The little sigh of amazement he got made the cold feel like a distant memory.

“You did not lie!” Jack said happily.

“What?”

“You said you would show me stars without killing me, and you did.”

Aku scoffed. He would _give_ Jack the stars if he’d asked for them.

“This is nothing,” he said softly, “I will show you real stars,”

Jack hummed, “I will be happy with this, even if that does not happen,”

Aku snorted, “You think I will not? Or you think I _can_ not?”

Jack laughed, “I am very sure you could figure it out if you were so inclined,”

“But... that is what I just said,”

Jack nodded a little sadly, “Yes. Sorry,”

The lights began to fade and Aku sighed.

“Are you finished?”

Aku smiled, “You are, it seems. I did not stop,”

Jack grimaced and Aku shrugged.

“It lasted for a while even without—”

Jack pulled him back up against him, wrapping his arms around him tightly.

“Mm?”

“You give up too easily,” Jack told him, “Show me more. Please,”

Caught off guard by the demand, Aku tried again, watching glittering dots popping in and out of existence as he struggled to regain the unconscious concentration.

“I... I do not know what to show you,”

“What do you want to see?” He asked curiously.

Aku glared off into the distance, trying to think. Questions like that, from Jack, always confused him. He’d spent so much time trying to subdue his inner self lately that this felt like a good way to break something vital.

“Aku?”

“I am thinking,”

“I-I know,” he said softly,

Aku looked up, confused, and then saw the fire moving around in a haze, matching his wandering thoughts.

There, slowly, a thick twisted forrest appeared. Gnarled branches of old wood spreading their long broken fingers high into the air, blocking out light above like great bat wings. Aku knew this place. He was surprised with himself that he had not immediately thought to show this to Jack... or perhaps he had, he’d just done it entirely unconsciously.

Aku coughed, propping himself up to get a little more comfortable in Jack’s rather aggressively tight hold.

“This place is... ah, off limits. I suppose one might say.”

Jack looked at him curiously, his eyes flicking between the image and Aku’s nervous expression.

“I have told all the world that this place is haunted. Poisoned. Dangerous. No hunting ever happens here, there is no real way in or out besides diving off a plane perhaps. Maybe you could figure it out,” he laughed.

“Why is it haunted?”

“It is not,” he admitted, staring at the ancient darkness, lit by strange insects and delicate rays of escaping sunshine, “It is merely...”

“Where you go to be alone?”

Aku blinked, “Have you broken into this place already?”

“No, it just seems very... peaceful,”

“Yes,” Aku was quiet for a time, just resting against his human. Jack’s soft breathing at his shoulder made him a little sleepy.

“I have never shown this place to anyone. It is hidden under many many layers of spells, away from the rest of the world.”

Jack smiled shyly, “Then why are you showing me?”

Aku said nothing. He kissed Jack once more, just barely touching him.

“It would look beautiful right now,” He mumbled, “Safe, away,”

“So that is where I shall find you? If I need to?”

“Hmm? How would you do that, Samurai ? I just told you—“

“You just told me, _exactly_ where it is,”

Aku made Jack let him go so he could glare at him properly, turning his head to the side.

“How?”

“Correct me if I am wrong,” Jack said smirking confidently, “This place is completely hidden, yes?”

“Yes.”

“But the way you described its protection implies that it does not ever move.”

Aku raised his eyebrows, “And?”

“It should be in an impossible place. A forrest... like this one,” he said, smiling at the image, “With trees from all over the world, impossible to mix, without hunters, with no entrance or exit except for above.Which so far, I take it, has never happened by accident?”

Aku blinked and crossed his arms, “Yes? And?”

“It is not in the ocean and I would never look for a forrest like that somewhere high up. Yet it is not a true forrest and it not quite a jungle either,” he said motioning to plants in the image, “and that,” he said, pointing to a break in the trees far above, “Is a mountain peak,”

Aku frowned, he was impressed but Jack had figured it out yet.

“You go there to be alone. So it must be dark and quiet. Cold outside, difficult to approach..”

“And??”

Jack shrugged, “If it were not for the day I found your castle I would not know where it is. But... Nebula was trying to find you there, was he not? And you lead him off, away from that place. You also go to that same building where nobody knows who you are... it is below the hotel isn’t it? It’s in the mountains where you left me. You took me there to heal, just as _you_ go there to heal,”

Aku blinked slowly and then pulled himself back into Jack’s space and kissed him much less gently, trying not to laugh as he did so. Jack struggled, also trying not to laugh

“No! No! Do not distract me! I am correct! Am I not?” He said between kisses he pretended to try and escape, “Aku!?”

“Yes,” Aku said,“You are correct, my Samurai,” he purred,

Jack flushed red and smiled.

“What shall I do when you break into my only sanctuary left? I have given you my greatest weakness!”

Jack scoffed, “Your greatest weakness?”

“No,”

Jack was smiling, looking easygoing, relaxed and a strange thought occurred to him.

“I do not know what my greatest weakness is. Actually... I do not know what all my powers are.”

Jack blinked and smiled, “Really?”

Aku nodded glancing at one of the flickering lights of his fire and the decorations.

“I suppose my greatest weakness is also my greatest strength,” Jack said thoughtfully, “I know you often view morality as something that is simply in the way,”

The way he said it, without heat, made Aku feel curious. The feeling of vulnerability was... not so unpleasant as it usually was.

“It stops you from doing things you would like to do, does it not?”

Jack smiled at the glowing forrest.

“If I were to act only on impulse desires I will not ever truly be happy. Happiness is not supposed to be a constant anyway. One must experience good and bad emotions to appreciate each one fully.”

Aku rolled his eyes, “Come on, _sage_ , let us check on Ana,”

Jack laughed.

Ana was already asleep on the couch with blankets layered over her. The candle was back on the table and glowing though it was unlit. A cool smell of smell of salt water lingered. Jack and Aku didn’t turn on the lights when they entered and relocked the door. Ana was soundly asleep, with just the ghost of a smile on her kind face. Jack absolutely beamed.

Aku didn’t say anything when Jack grinned at him, he just smiled a little. Jack gave him his jacket back and climbed back into Aku’s space as soon as he’d laid on the bed. Aku fell asleep shortly after that, with his arm loosely around Jack…

But Jack couldn’t sleep.

For hours his mind repeated what had happened over and over like he could force it make more sense. Aku… was not a demon and he did not care. He really did not care to know what he was. Or he… Jack had a feeling there were things that bothered Aku much more than he was letting on. Jack glanced over at him sleeping, dark lines under his eyes, slight bruising still around his neck.

Aku had become a totally different person, _twice_ , just to be able to be near to _him_? How painful it would be to feel so alone, and so angry for that long, and then… For some reason he viewed Jack as an equal, at least on some level, enough to try and get as close as he was right now.

He frowned. How _afraid_ would Aku have to be to hide himself so totally from Jack, just to _temporarily_ gain his company. Jack thought maybe .. he might even understand why Aku had become so verbally abusive, even if he hadn’t attacked him physically. It was better, easier, and less risky, to already be hated than to be outright rejected. But he wasn’t sure.

How could a human _ever_ be enough for… He ground his teeth, his chest aching. Aku looked so calm in his sleep, unburdened by the information he didn’t want.

If he told him? Would he want to…

Jack shook.

He would of course! Why would he _not_? But Gods, real Gods, _didn’t_ interact directly with humans. If he told Aku?

Akuwould leave.

But it was not his place to stop him, was it?

Jack angrily palmed his eyes, his jaw hurt from how hard he’d been clenching his teeth. They’d just been wandering around the streets outside, arguing and playing together like a normal human couple.

There was one thing Jack was certain Aku knew. He was getting better. _Rapidly_. Aku might already be able to shape shift, if the strength of the magic current meant anything, and was just pretending to make Jack feel safer. He stared at the ceiling in a terrible wonder.

If Aku did become a God… Nebula would be gone. He could go home. They wouldn’t have to fight anymore.

And he’d never see Aku again.

He sat up, putting his head on his knees, the circling thought was making him queasy and light headed. He did not want to understand what was happening in his mind. But he knew. Jack shook harder. _No_... but he knew it was true. Even having nothing took compare it with, he just knew.

The idea of living the rest of his live without his demon in it made him feel an emptiness that _dwarfed_ his desire to go home. Home wasn’t home anymore. Jack wanted, _desperately_ , to never have to be without him again.

He searched his feelings thoroughly. It was not an obsession or a passing passion. He could still peacefully imagine traveling, exploring, alone for weeks on end in total silence. But at the end of it? He wanted to back to his demon. Jack didn’t like it when he was having a good time and turned around to not find him there. He knew it would be difficult. He knew there were endless struggles they would have to deal with to be together—but it just made Jack want him _more_.

But… Jack loved him. It hurt. It _burned_. The truth of it scared the hell out of him. Aku had been right about that too. Jack wanted him close and he had _no idea_ what he would want if Aku was not a factor. He _could_ live without him. He knew he could and he knew _Aku knew_ he could.

He didn’t want that.

There was no escaping with his own happiness unmarred.

This whole time Aku was trying to get _him_ to say he would stay… but Jack knew there was no way he would want to choose Jack over that… How the hell would he tell Aku this ? Any of it. He shook harder still, palming his eyes.

Aku could feel Jack shivering and wondered half asleep if he was cold again, but he was _burning_ hot. He kicked the blankets off and pulled Jack closer. Jack made a startled noise as he fell back onto his side and was pulled against Aku. As Aku became more awake he could hear the pained breathing and furrowed his brows, putting his hand on Jack’s face and feeling the tears. He blinked rapidly, putting his arm back around him, unsure what had happened. More… Nightmares? Jack seemed to break down further as time went on and Aku awkwardly finger combed his hair.

“Gn-sorry,” Jack whispered, gripping Aku’s arm almost hard enough to bruise him.

“Ah… are you… hurt?”

“No,” Jack said stiffly, refusing to move so that Aku could actually see him.

So Aku just held him there, completely baffled and mildly afraid of whatever had caused _this_. Jack struggled with whatever it was in silence for a long time, and after a while he stopped, going slack. He touched his face and felt the tears. He had cried himself to _sleep_?

He had heard that humans could do that but he didn’t think he’d ever seen it before. He grimaced, what was he supposed to do?


	31. What did you do to me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is just sex. Yep... I mean Aku did get into a fight.  
> It was taking too long m'kay!?

Jack was alone in the little hotel room. He’d woken up with a note beside him saying simply, “We will be back,” and couldn’t believe that neither Aku nor Ana had woken him up by leaving. He was still tired though, emotionally tired, in a way he wasn’t sure he’d ever felt before. Jack sat up and tried to meditate, to calm his thoughts, which weren’t just racing anymore, they seemed to be racing each other. All he wanted to do was clear his mind. Allow the thoughts to move without having a reaction.

_Why did they leave me here?_ Shot through his mind and he grimaced, struggling to calm his breathing. In and out and in and _What is going to happen now?_

_Should I have told Aku what he is, even if he did not seem to care?_

_How will we keep Ana safe from Nebula even if we do hide her away?_

_What is Aku going to do when he truly has his powers back?_

_Did he have them back already? Was he playing pretend?_

He shook his head and opened his tired eyes. It was already the afternoon, if the sky was to be believed. Jack yawned and got up to take a shower. Why could he not think positive thoughts for once? For just a little while? Didn’t other people have fantasies about things that they wanted to happen?

Could he have a fantasy like that? What did he _want_ to think about?

His hand paused on the handle to the bathroom door as the feeling hit him before his brain could catch up. _Oh_ … of course.

He pushed the door open and put his gi on the sink, and a bath robe next to the towels so that he could clean them later and then stepped into the cramped shower.

He tried to picture something that had not already happened, but the Aku in his imagination was… _off_. He pictured Aku possessively holding him down. Tying him up, maybe, maybe taking his clothes away… Jack blushed, leaning his head against the shower wall. _Would it hurt? Would it hurt?_ Jack bit his lip. Confused by the repetitive thought, his answer was, ‘ _Would what hurt_?’ and ‘ _Why would he hurt me now?_ ’ and yet… Would it hurt? Could it hurt? Would Aku hurt him… _just a little?_ Jack’s mouth fell open and he let out a little pained gasp. Usually he forced himself to stay calm. But… he was alone. And curious about his own thoughts. They begged to be heard! To let him just act like a regular man, for once, just for a moment in this rare moment of quiet. But then, regular men weren’t fantasizing about how their demon partner was going to ... restrain them? Subdue them. _Have_ them.

Jack shook his head and closed the shower door, playing with the water temperature until it was comfortably warm. Think calming thoughts. Stay in the present. He ran his hand over his neck and unconsciously palmed where he’d been bitten. It was barely there anymore yet, just as last time, he jerked in surprise.

Except… he didn’t have to stop now that he was alone. Did he? He stepped into the warm running water, completely forgetting the pin in his hair, and ran his fingers over the bruise again. It only barely stung… and his fingers felt very different to Aku’s. Jack palmed it again curiously, to see if he could get any response. Heat that had nothing to do with the water suddenly flooded low in his hips. In his mind he saw Aku’s hands on him, his black fingernails digging into his skin. He dropped his head back as if Aku were there, exposing his neck to the demon. Begging him to do it all over again.

Aku grasping Jack by his hair, mouthing along his jugular in a threatening display of dominance. Sinking his teeth into his neck just on the side of painful. Raspy growling in his ear. That smokey fire-like smell.

Jack groaned at the image, eyelids fluttering at the memory of the maze, of being inside him. Gods, Aku crying out at Jack, clawing his back _everywhere_. Sucking on the blood Jack bitten from his own lip just to tease him. Hissing and rolling his eyes back like he’d been possessed as Jack pushed himself into Aku again and again. Jack gasped painfully and glanced down. He was fully hard and completely disinterested in doing anything to himself.

Aku had been so… quiet lately. He seemed much happier now that he could move around without collapsing. He was eating more. Yet he’d just seemed so… A thought occurred to Jack as he clenched his teeth against the burning desire to reenact his memories. The first time Aku had kissed him, Aku had been on top, Aku was accustomed to being the domineering one. Yet, at least lately, he’d let Jack lead.

Well sort of. He mostly had let Jack lead, but that was weird wasn’t it? He wondered if maybe it was doing a number on his self image. That seemed a little extreme and yet he had to wonder why he hadn’t really tried, or even suggest it? Besides starting a pretend fight in the maze. That he knew he was going to lose. Did Aku think Jack did not want him to lead? Or think that Jack didn’t think he could? He frowned.

Jack had no doubt in his mind that Aku could lead. He was very... capable of taking control of the situation.

He felt his heart race at the thought of it. What would he do if he did lead? Jack assumed he would probably be rough, that the demon would most likely do what Jack had been craving a few moments ago, fingers in Jacks hair, teeth on his neck, maybe other places—what would that feel like on his stomach? Or maybe on the thigh… His hair stood on end. Honestly, the thought of Aku’s mouth on him just about anywhere made him a little dizzy.

Aku, in his expression of cruel passion, might torment him before letting him feel that pleasure where he wanted it most. Jack let out a groan.

And his _voice_?

What terrible handsome things might he growl into his ear? Would he tell him he wanted him as Jack had told him? His mind blanked. He couldn’t come up with the poetic vulgarity that Aku could use. Jack tried to remember things he’d said before, but most of what came to him was growling and the sound of Aku crying out Jack’s name. He breathed shallowly. He wanted it again, _maddeningly_ , and dropped his hand to lean against the wall. It wasn’t good enough, _imagining_ it.

He should probably stop thinking about it. His heart raced. He did not want to do this alone anymore. But… Aku was not there. He should probably stop thinking about it. He closed his eyes, giving into the thoughts, screaming to be let loose. But it just was not the same!

Jack clenched his teeth and forced himself to focus on the just-barely blue shower tiles. He’d wash his hair and get out and try to meditate again. They would probably be back soon and he didn’t want them to see him red in the face. Cold water. Soap in his hair. Breath.

“Jack!?”

Jack jumped out of his skin and nearly slid on the shower floor trying to get back to his feet.

“Oh, there you are,” Aku mumbled somewhere beyond the door.

“You-you ah! Hello, you startled me,” Jack said, blinking quickly.

“Ah,” Aku said, sounding very distracted.

Jack could hear him walking off, seeming to be muttering to himself. Sounding further away.

“Aku?” Jack called, “Where did you go?”

“Hmm?” he sounded tired, “Ah, you didn’t wake up so I took her out to get food. She’s in another room.”

“What?”

“I just… I’ll explain later,” he grumbled.

Jack swallowed and quickly finished. Nearly stumbling again in his haste to get out. He paused upon opening the door and seeing Aku standing beside the window, arms crossed, glaring out into the snow. The day was cold and grey and yet beyond his dark silhouette it looked almost white.

Jack stared at him, blinking furiously, unsure what to do with himself. After a pause, Aku looked down at Jack and narrowed his eyes.

His posture tall, stance confident, looking coolly intimidating. He raised his eyebrows and Jack immediately looked away but he knew to some degree, that the look on his face must be giving him away.

“Wh-ah, is she okay?”

“Ana? Yes. Of course.”

Jack walked over to the bed, glancing around for the hairbrush he knew Ana had left on the floor somewhere nearby, trying with all his might to not look back at Aku. He couldn’t.

“What are you doing?” Aku said, sounding extremely confused.

Jack swallowed and quickly said, “um,”

There was a long pause.

“I have had a very irritating day, Samurai,” Aku said lowly,

“Are you going to sleep?” He asked, but Aku just continued,

“Are you trying to get me to come closer or not?”

As soon as Jack glanced up at him he was silenced again, freezing in place at the fiery green eyes fixed on him. Jack stepped back and the unspoken peace was snapped. As Aku followed him forwards, Jack backed himself against the wall and Aku braced himself there, trapping Jack. Jack gasped, glancing off to the side with a sharp gasp of surprise. This was very much like the first time, he thought, when he had allowed Aku to pin him in the chair.

Jack was suddenly very dizzy, amazed that he had somehow managed to forget how _intense_ Aku really was. How _scary_ he was. He’d gotten used to him.

Jack felt fingernails gently tracing the curve of his jaw and then Aku turned his chin up.

Jack smiled a little, and Aku smirked back at him, closing the tiny bit of distance between them with a breathless kiss and a deep pleased growl. Heat shot through Jack’s core alongside the vibrations in that sound, dripping down each rib, through his abdomen and resting heavily in his hips. Jack grasped Aku by his lapels, pulling him down further to give him a proper kiss. he ran his tongue along the bruise on Jacks bottom lip. Jack moaned with relief and Aku growled in response, seeking entry to Jacks mouth. Jack gladly gave it to him, feeling the nearly frantic movement of Aku’s tongue against his own, over his teeth, as he did the same to Aku.

Aku stopped, backing up. He smirked looking Jack over as he pulled his coat off and tossed it onto the floor and quickly kicked off his boots. Jack watched him, mouth dry, heart hammering. Jack took him by the wrist and was about to pull him closer when he saw the bruises around his cheek and left eye. Jack’s eyes went wide, readjusting.

Aku’s smug expression lessened, “Ah, the other guy looks worse. I swear.”

Jacks lips formed a straight line. Aku smiled, eyes twinkling.

“What’s wrong Jack?”

“ _Who_ hit you?” He asked angrily, pulling him closer so he could inspect his face. It was worse up close. Aku tilted his head to the side so Jack could see it.

“Who?” Jack asked again and Aku tisked amusedly.

“Jack, I told you, th-he looks worse,”

“Fine...” Jack said annoyed, “but what happened?”

Aku shrugged a little but Jack glared and Aku rolled his eyes.

“I would really rather tell you later… Or tomorrow... or never. If that’s an option..” he mumbled, and Jack picked up on the hesitancy. It wasn’t exactly nervousness.

“Why?”

Aku scrubbed his hand over his mouth, “It was... ah.. uncomfortable.”

“Is Ana alright??”

“Yes, yes of course she is. She is in another room using her tablet...”

“Aku… What?”

He grimaced, “The _posters_ showed up today,”

Jack frowned and then raised his eyebrows, “of... me?”

“Yes, and your friends and the _girl_.” He growled softly, “I... I took them all down,”

Jack stared at him and Aku rolled his eyes, put his hands on Jacks shoulders and pushed him against the wall.

“They told me that..that you..” he growled frustratedly, “They called you... they..”

Jack blinked rapidly, “They insulted _me_ and _you_ got angry?” He laughed lightly, “People insult me all the time, that is not unusual...” his voice trailed off.

Aku was tense now. His eyes glowing green and... with just a thin hint of a red ring around the irises. Baring his teeth, face scrunched in an absolute furry. Jack blinked. He knew the expression wasn’t actually directed at _him_ but Gods it was exactly the expression he got _right_ before he meant to kill someone. Jack raised his eyebrows and put his hands on Aku’s arms.

“You started the fight, I take it?” He asked lightly. He was not angry but he was carful not to let himself _sound_ angry anyway. Aku hissed and looked away. Jack just nodded, “This person hit you in self defense then?”

Aku laughed and it was a horrible chilling sound, peering at Jack sideways as he grew closer.

“Yeess, Sa-mu-rai, I hit one of them.”

Jack tensed.

“Then all five of them were angry with me…” His eyes filled to the brim with loathing, “They only did this to me,” he said, grinding his teeth for a moment, “Before I _made them regret it_ ,”

Jacks eyes were wide. Aku averted his glowing eyes again, releasing Jack to stand up straight and sigh.

“They are alive,” Aku added irritably, “Ana is fine.”

Jack continued to stare.

“And now that the mood is ruined and I suppose you are angry with me. Do you want me to leave?”

Jack kissed him, pulling him down closer and standing on his toes to get a better angle. Aku blinked in surprise before wrapping his arms around Jack and kissing him back heatedly.

A small puddle of water beneath his feet caused Jack to slip on the floor before he was lifted by his thighs and pinned to the wall. Jack let out a low surprised groan. He had to pull away from the kiss to gasp, clawing at Aku’s shoulders, struggling not to writhe against the feeling of Aku pressed so forcefully against him— and the fact that he was so _securely_ trapped against the wall.

It had been a while since Aku had really showed off his own strength.

“It is _my_ turn to take _you_ Samurai Jack,” Aku growled in a bestial depth and Jack’s toes curled at the threat. Gods. Yes. that was _exactly_ what he wanted to hear, just like that, in that possessive matter of fact tone, right against his ear. He could not have put that together in the way Aku could, in his own imagination. He melted in Aku’s grip.

“Ah...” Jack panted, trying to speak. Just say ‘yes’, just do it.. he couldn’t get the speech to form, so he turned his head back and away, exposing his mostly healed bruises.

“ _Jack_ ,” Aku rasped, mouthing along his shoulder, licking his heated skin, making Jack delirious.

“Bite me,” he whispered, despite himself, burning red. There was a momentary pause, Jack swallowed, ready for whatever commentary he was about to—

Sharp teeth sank into the delicate skin of his neck, viciously suctioning against it. Jack hissed, bucking against him, but Aku just pinned him harder to the wall, grinding his hips languidly against him.

“Ah! Aku,” Jack groaned, banging his head against the wall on accident. Aku laughed lightly, releasing his neck.

“Down,” Aku commanded and Jack was dropped back onto his feet and turned to face the wall. Aku clawed his hips and back through the fabric, and grabbed his ass. Jack shut his eyes, bracing his palms against the wall. He let out a small yelp when Aku grasped him roughly by the hips and pulled him backwards against his own, grinding against him.

“Gn!” Jack hissed embarrassedly.

Aku pushed Jack’s hair to the side and leaned forward to mouth along the back of his neck. He dug his fingers into Jacks hips and continued his grind. Jack leaned his head against the wall. He turned look as Aku kissed up the left side slowly, breathing hotly against his ear.

“You are not putting up much of a fight, _my Sa-mu-rai,_ ” he purred.

Jack couldn’t think of a response to this, so he peered up at him, doing his best to give him the most lust filled expression he could muster. Aku’s eyes went wide.

Jack wasn’t surprised when he was manhandled again, swung around and nearly thrown into the bed. He quickly righted himself, turning around to face Aku but before Aku could follow, Jack crawled backwards to slide off the other side of the bed.

Aku gave him a curious stare. Jack tilted his head to the side, backing away with a little smile playing at the corner of his lips. The _look_ on his face when he realized that Jack was playing with him, was priceless. Jack laughed, he couldn’t help it, he’d never seen something so adorable that also made him fear for his personal safety before. It just struck him as hilarious.

Jack did leap back in surprise when Aku jumped the bed just to follow him. This time, Jack was too slow, and as he was yanked backwards, arms quickly encircled him, to keep him from running again.

“ _Where do you think you are going_?” Aku growled into Jack’s ear, though he sounded _highly_ amused.

Jack made to break free but Aku hardly wavered. Jack froze and felt heat spread through his face at the realization that he _could not move_. Aku chuckled darkly.

“Nowhere in a hurry?”

Jack’s face burned, but this time, when he was tossed back onto the bed, he didn’t try to run. Aku smirked devilishly, one eyebrow raised at him. He took a long moment to stare down at Jack, and Jack looked away, quite sure Akuwas basking in his power trip.

Aku sat beside him, running his hand over Jack’s chest. Jack refused to make eye contact, as much as he wanted to loose this fight… he just couldn’t look at him while it was happening. The sharpness of his fingernails surprised him as they slid up the side of his neck and Jack compulsively turned to look at them, grasping him by the wrist.

His mouth parted at the sight of his own pale hand over Aku’s etherial black skin. He did make eye contact then. Aku was still human, and still _smirking like a bastard._

“A…Aku?”

“Hmm?”

“Can you shift now?”

Aku chuckled, “Why? _Would you like that_?”

Jack’s vision blurred slightly, “Uh..”

Aku didn’t wait for him to find words, instead, he ran his clawed finger over Jack’s soft lips and Jack instinctively parted them, driving his urge to slide it inside. Jack wasn’t exactly sure what to do with that, but Aku did not move. So Jack blinked and then closed his eyes, running his tongue along the dulled blade in his mouth with erotic curiosity.

Aku growled, furrowing his brows. Yes-he had Jack’s mouth on him before but somehow this felt significantly different. Human’s have most of their hand sensitivity in the pads of their fingers, but he did not have human hands as a demon. His whole body was sensitive-or could be sensitive in this way. Though he’d never really tried it before now.

Jack’s mouth was… hot and wet and he could feel both the way he was moving his tongue over his skin and the excited suction and—

“Kgn-” he shook his head furiously, grasping Jack’s shoulder with his free hand. Jack stopped, looking up at him as he pulled the finger away.

“Did I—”

“ _No_ ,” Aku growled, leaning down to kiss him. Jack sighed in relief, making Aku slightly lightheaded.

Relief. Was it even _possible_ that Jack wanted him as badly as he wanted Jack? His brain seemed to scramble at the idea. Not now. Not now. He needed to focus.

In a low growl he said, “You look _beautiful_ this desperate for me,”

Jack let out a little gasp. His face burned and he swallowed, blinking at him shyly.

“What did I do too get you into such a state?” Aku purred, tracing easy lines over Jack’s shoulder with the tips of his claws, just barely pushing the robe to the side.

Jack smiled nervously, reaching out to play with his soft hair. He couldn’t seem to respond to this either, and he shrugged slightly. Aku chuckled.

“Where did you put the—”

“You put it there,” Jack said in a broken voice, pointing to the drawer under the sink.

“Do not move, _anything_ ,”

“Okay,”

And Aku was gone, leaving him shivering and staring at the ceiling. He tried one last time to calm himself, knowing it was not going to work. Jack groaned when Aku reappeared and climbed over him, pushing Jack backwards into the bed. He yanked open the robe none too gently and Jack balked at the impatience, but then again, he’d wanted _Aku,_ and that was exactly what he was getting.

Jack grasped the hem of Aku’s shirt and pulled it up, Aku smiled in surprise but moved so he could pull it off and throw it to the side. Aku reached down and Jack caught him by the wrist.

“You-you still have clothes on,” Jack said,

“Yes, and?”

“Please, take them off?”

Aku groaned, “ _Fine_ ,”

Jack laughed lightly, watching in amusement as Aku stepped away again, ripping off his belt with an incredible lack of patience. Jack stared at his long legs for a moment, a weakness of his, and swallowed at the sight of him completely naked just in front of him.

He’d forgotten or more like, never really paid much mind to the fact that Aku was… Aku was bigger than him… Jack burned red, all the way up his ears and forehead. He knew Aku was taller than him and all, but he hadn’t really thought about the fact that Aku was just… _bigger_ than he was.

He said nothing. He’d had Aku’s cock in his mouth before and yet somehow he’d only just noticed this? Or maybe he was just nervous.

“Happy now?” Aku asked sarcastically, climbing back over him.

Jack smiled weakly and stared up at the ceiling.

“Are you going to hide from me the whole time?” Aku said softly.

Jack grimaced, “No,” he whispered, reaching up to touch Aku’s face, forcing himself to meet Aku’s burning gaze.

“ _Good_ ,” he growled, running his hands over Jack’s bare chest and stomach.

Jack noticed with surprise that his hands were back to normal… ‘normal’. They were human hands again. He didn’t have time to think much about it though as Aku pushed Jack’s legs to the side and slid his knee’s underneath him, propping him up slightly.

Jack tensed, struggling to remain calm enough to be relaxed and not nervous enough to dampen his arousal. Jack leaned up to kiss him, letting Aku push him back against the sheets, growling possessively. Aku ran his hands roughly down Jack’s ribs and Jack grasped the sheets at his sides.

Aku reached out to the side, hurriedly uncapped the bottle and coated the fingers of his left hand. Jack tilted his head back, trying to calm his racing heartbeat and prevent himself from begging him to do it now. He was so excited it was a little difficult to think straight. Aku bent Jack’s legs at his sides and running his hand teasingly across his inner thigh. Jack shivered.

With an easy glide he teased the head of Jack’s cock with his fingertip and drew his fingers down, running over his balls and lower. Jack shut his eyes again and Aku snickered.

His lube covered fingers pressed up against his ass, one pushing past the muscles with a dexterous confidence that Jack was not expecting. He hissed in surprise, his legs bending further out to each side. He struggled to relax, his body was fighting him, not because it hurt, it didn’t really, but because he felt so totally vulnerable. He was so terribly aware of the smooth slide in and out, of the sounds of his owned stuttered breathing… Above all of it though was one frightening thought: this was Aku who was doing this to him.

He’d put Aku in this very compromising position for the same reason. But Jack knew he wouldn’t hurt Aku, he trusted himself not to be cruel, and it was one thing to be on top of his demon. In some measure of control! But this was totally different. He didn’t feel that he had any control now.

Aku shifted slightly, guiding Jack to move his legs over Aku’s shoulders.

His body tensed, already wanting more, but Jack bit his lip. Aku was panting just beside him, though nothing was technically happening to him yet since Jack’s hands were on Aku’s face and his legs were over Aku’s shoulders, obviously the position he had over Jack was doing something for him.

“Tch,” Aku said softly, “You are so quiet,”

“What do you want me to say?”

That was the wrong thing to ask.

“What do _I want_ you to say? _Oh_ …”

Aku was much less gentle as he slipped the second finger into him, pushing in deeper much more quickly. Jack groaned. Aku smirked, pushing up to the knuckles before slowly arcing his fingers as Jack had done to him. Jack gasped. Gods he was so close to touching his prostate. Aku’s fingers were longer than Jack’s and it wouldn’t take much for him to—

Aku moved them down just slightly lower, his fingertips brushing against the nerves there. Jack jumped, moaning. Sweat was now beading at his forehead. Aku’s fingers pressed up against it once more.

“ _Aku_!” Jack cried, throwing his head back. Aku snickered, sliding his fingers out slowly, and quickly back in again, setting the pace.

“Yes,” Aku growled, drawing his tongue against Jack’s collarbone, “ _Jack_ , that is what I want you to say,”

Jack’s thighs shook as their position became increasingly difficult, but Jack didn’t ask him to stop, or move them. The slight ache along with the pressure low in his body was already starting to feel good. As the slide became easier, Jack did not have to ask again, he gasped lightly when he felt the third finger against him, biting his lip as Aku worked it into him.

“ _Beautiful_ ,” Aku growled, and Jack balked, blinking rapidly up at him. Aku smiled deviously, leaning his head down to kiss Jack. The stretch made him struggle and Jack moaned against his mouth when that third finger finally slid into him.

Aku chuckled before his fingers massaged into his prostate.

He buckled, slamming his head back into the pillows, grinding his teeth against the blinding pleasure.

“Ah! _Ah_ \- Aku,” Jack hissed, shaking, “ _Gods_!”

“Jack,” Aku said almost casually, as Jack squirmed beneath him, “Is that good?”

“GnH!” Jack cried, his eyes watering as the fingers pulled away, then slid back into place, pushing his buttons all over again, “AH-wh- _Aku_!”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Aku said with a smirk,

Aku wrapped the fingers of his other hand loosely around Jack’s cock and smiled. He would torture Jack for a few more minutes, adding a twist to the motion of his fingers a bit more roughly. Yes… it was not exactly the way he had imagined torturing Jack but he did get some beautiful cries for mercy such as: “ _Gods_! Aku, _please_!”, and. “Ah-ah-ah-ah!” before he finally pulled his fingers out. Jack was panting, eyes streaming, white knuckling the sheets around his head. Aku smiled down at him triumphantly and Jack burned red, shyly looking away.

“Oh, you do like it a little rough, don’t you?” Aku growled, waiting for Jack to look up at him again before asking, “Is this enough?”

“Wha…?”

Aku let him catch up to the question.

“Oh, _oh_ ,” he nodded quickly.

“Are you sure? This was faster than—”

“I am sure,” Jack assured him, the depth of the ache in his gut was driving him to beg. But he refused to do _that_.

Aku didn’t ask again. He grabbed the lubricant again and Jack stopped him, uncapping the bottle himself.

“I, ah, I want,”

Aku kissed him, letting out a growling purr that was possibly the most suggestive noise he’d ever heard him make. It took a little maneuvering, but Jack managed to get a glob of unknown quantity since Aku was still kissing him, cap the bottle, toss it aside and finally slide it between them. He wrapped his fingers around Aku’s cock, and Aku gasped slightly in between his bruising kisses.

Jack made sure to thoroughly coat him, though he knew he was really doing it just to feel how hard he’d made Aku. _Desperate_ , he’d said. _They were both desperate._

Aku bit teasingly at his lip and Jack flinched.

“Too hard?”

“no,” Jack whispered, “I am ready,”

Aku’s eyes were already wide but seemed somehow to get wider before he blinked them back into a pained squint, resting his forehead against Jacks.

“Are you t-” he groaned as Jack pulled his hand away, “Are you _trying_ to drive me crazy?”

“I want you,” Jack said, gasping in dizzying pleasure.

Aku gawked for a second, “Whatever drug you are on, I am getting more of,” he mumbled quickly,

“ _Aku_ ,”

Aku readjusted his legs to be more comfortable, and pulled Jack just slightly closer. He smiled at Jack, reached out and pulled Jack’s hands forward, silently instructing him to hold his legs in place. Jack’s shoulders tensed in embarrassment but Aku ignored it. He grimaced as he grasped himself by the base of his cock in order to press it against Jack.

Aku assumed that, since using his fingers had not been a problem, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem either. He could feel Jack trying to allow the intrusion and it took more force than he was expecting to finally get the head inside.

Both of them hissed.

Jack shook, the pressure was uncomfortable still, but he wanted Aku, he was growing extremely impatient. What in the world was wrong with him? He vaguely wondered. But he could not truly lie to himself. He had been thinking about this at least subconsciously for months.

“Ah..” he sighed, closing his eyes again, his body was struggling enough. He didn’t want to have to fight his own thoughts too.

“Jack,” Aku growled, shaking slightly as he pushed forward. He paused for a moment, remembering how Jack had struggled so hard not to move out in the maze. That made sense now. Not moving was taking every ounce of his will power and self control. He glanced up at Jack’s semi pained expression and grimaced after the first couple of inches, gasping with the effort to go slow.

Jack was so quiet! Aku squinted, clawing at Jack’s hips.

“I am I not... hurting you?” he said in a more gentle voice.

“Mm,” Jack groaned, he wasn’t sure how to say, ‘yes but I like it when you’re just a little mean to me,’ so he just shook his head.

Aku canted forward again and Jack gasped, he couldn’t help it, Gods. It hurt, not too badly but it hurt, and he really _really_ liked it.

Slowly, Aku pushed forward until his hips were pressed hard against Jack snd he growled. The sound reverberated through him, where his muscles were already stretched tightly and the pressure-made him see stars in the corners of his vision.

Jack moaned,

“ _Jack_?”

He grunted in response. Talking was way too much of a task at the moment.

“I think it is quite possible you like that position more than I do,” he teased.

“Y-you are, ah,” Jack gasped,

Aku was shaking with the effort to go slowly as he pulled out again.

“What?” Aku asked, panting. He was expecting jack to call him impatient or...

“Bigger than me,” he said,

Aku slow blinked and then he snickered, smirking down at Jack, “ _Bigger_ then you?”

Jack nodded, his eyes watering.

“Is that a bad thing?”

Jack shook his head, “kiss me?”

Aku smiled and did, Jack knew very well how much effort it took not to move while something felt so good, so he pushed his hips up slightly and Aku groaned.

“Jack, ah, gnn,” Aku dug his fingernails into Jack’s thighs. He could hear Jack panting and feel how tense he was.

“You,” Aku said firmly, “ _Breath_ ,”

Jack gasped, trying so very hard to relax.

Jack panted and grasped Aku’s upper arms.

“What?”

“It-…that feels _good_ ,”

Aku blinked at him in surprise, letting out another low growl, “Oh, _Jack_ , you are making this very difficult,”

Jack pushed up against his next thrust and they both sighed. Aku was still shaking with effort.

“Ah-Aku... you you do not have to be, ah, so… gentle...”

His brows furrowed very seriously, “ _What_?”

Jack felt his face burning but he said it again anyway, “You- you do not have to be so gentle,”

Aku gave him a suspicious look, “Are you...sure about that?”

“Yes,” Jack admitted, hopping to spur on a little more of that dark side in him, without loosing this honest intimacy. He wasn’t sure If that was even possible. “I... ah, I want you to,”

Aku let out a strained breath, “Samurai! I am starting to think that you are _asking_ me to hurt you,”

Jack blinked and unconsciously bit his lip. Aku’s eyes locked onto it.

Aku slid his hands down his sides and grasped his hips, which was the only warning Jack got before Aku rapidly drove into him. Jack breathed out, trying not to scream like he wanted too, as Aku pulled out and thrust forward, much more quickly. Knocking the air and the sense out of Jack.

Jack bucked in surprise, the low burning sensation sending chills all through his body, making him gasp. Aku growled, leaning down and biting at Jacks shoulder, and drawing a hot line from his collar to his ear with his tongue.

“Ah!” He gasped, struggling to hold still as pleasure like a terrible itch licked over every inch of his skin.

He nearly screamed when Aku found his prostate again, rubbing mercilessly up against it. Aku kissed him just before it escaped. Jack scrambled for purchase, grasping at Aku’s hair as he viciously thrust into him over and over. 

Aku hissed in surprise. His muscles froze in place for a moment, shaking. Jack stared up at him wide eyed, the _faces_ he made, drove him almost as wild as the noises. Aku grasped him roughly by the hips and slammed himself back inside,

“HK!” Jack groaned, grasping the bed sheets to brace himself, Aku’s tempo completely thrown as he orgasmed. Jack stared. His face burning as he felt heat spreading inside him, Aku fell onto him, slightly off to the left, gasping.

“ahh… Sorry,” Aku mumbled,

Jack almost wanted to laugh. He was glad Aku couldn’t see the self satisfied look on his face, knowing he’d pushed Aku that far so quickly.

[[“beautiful,”]] he growled into the bed,

“W-what?” Jack said weakly, tilting to try and see the expression on Aku’s face.

[[“you are beautiful,”]] he said again, in his dark pleased rumble.

“Oh,”

[[“I have wanted to do this with you for a long time,”]] he murmured.

Jack shivered, [[“How can that be?”]]

Aku scoffed, kissing Jack’s shoulder, [[“How can it not be?”]]

Jack hummed embarrassedly, [[“You mean months?”]]

Aku scoffed again, [[“Years.”]]

Jack balked, blinking rapidly.

[[“You do not believe me, _Sa-mu-rai_?”]]

[[“How can that be?“]]

[[“ _Years_ ,”]] Aku insisted,

[[“You- you are saying this because of what we just did. You calling me beautiful is the same, isn’t it?”]]

Aku laughed derisively and flexed his hips against Jack, dragging his pointed black fingernails up Jack’s thigh. He was still _completely_ hard. Jack let out a sharp breath, squirming in surprise as Aku started moving again, slowly aiming to hit his prostate. He hissed when Aku successfully dragged against it. Jack grasped Aku around the shoulders, trying to process this. Aku moved teasingly slow now, twisting inside of Jack with a slow, methodical maddening, _torture_ , that felt so _so_ good.

“You still do not believe me?” Aku amusedly growled,

“How!? How are you doing tha-ah-ah-Ahh-”

“Doing what?” he purred, kissing his neck, moving one hand to slide through Jack’s tangled black hair.

“Aku!” Jack panted, moving up against Aku’s thrusts.

“You feel so damn good, _ah_ , Jack, but I cannot just stop before you reach your own climax,”

“That-you, you did? did you!?”

“Yes,” Aku sighed, biting lightly at his ear, “I told you, I have wanted to do that for years. I was a little overcome by the moment, but I think,” he sighed, pleased, “I have more control of myself now,”

“Humans-human men-“ Jack muttered, his eyelids fluttering as Aku aimed himself slightly better, pushing in fast and pulling out slowly, “C-can not _usually_ \- _Ah_! Climax twice in a row, it is not—”

Aku hummed, shrugging, “Perhaps they do not desire their partners nearly as much as _I_ do,” he said lowly.

Jack flushed, “I-I do want you, I desire you, _ah_!”

Aku purred, kissing him lovingly on the lips, “I did not mean _you_ , Jack,”

“B-but I-”

“I know,” he said, kissing down his jaw, ''Do not question it,” he said breathlessly into his ear, “Just let me _have_ you,”

Jacks eyes rolled back at the words, “… _Aku_ ,”

The room grew mostly quiet save for the possessive growls and cut off moans Jack couldn’t quite stifle.

Jack had to ask,“I-I want to know,” he whispered between shallow breaths.

“Hmm?”

“When-when you…you said years,” he groaned, “I want to know why, what did I do?”

Aku scoffed a little, taken aback by the refusal to give up on the question. He twisted himself inside Jack, making him cry out. He hoped he had Jack seeing stars at this point.

“I do love it when you scream for me, Samurai,” he growled, moving faster once more.

“Ah! Aku!”

“Exactly,” he growled, tossing his hair out of his face so he could keep kissing Jack’s neck, “It.. it was just before I decided to be Ikra.”

Jack nodded jerkily, grasping hard around Aku’s shoulders in an attempt to keep moving with him.

“There was a moment when I was trying to solve the problem of _you_ , imagining ways in which I might catch you off guard, and trap you.”He whispered into Jacks ear,

“ _Gk_!” Jack gasped and Aku could tell he was hanging off every word. Digging his fingernails so nicely into the skin on his back. Hopefully giving him some telling damage.

“But then... one of them gave me pause. You looked so pretty in my mind, glaring at me, so angry and unable to fight back, and in the moment... I did not want to kill you.”

Aku leaned back, leaning his forehead against Jacks own. Jack’s eyes were closed and his head was tilted slightly away, almost as if he were trying to escape. Aku turned Jack’s face back up with one hand, forcing Jack to lock eyes with him.He smiled when he saw that Jacks eyes were watering just slightly.

“I did not know if I could get anything out of it _myself_ , as I am right now, but I saw so clearly the things I might _do to you_. Things that would make you _scream my name_ , and that would be _everything,_ ”

Jack struggled, but could not move out of his position any more than moving himself into each of Aku’s thrusts. His brain was scrambled now.

“Aku-Aku,” Jack hissed, leaning up and kissing him, high on the layers of dark pleasures he’d been submerged in.

“Close-Close- _Aku_! Please…” he groaned.

Aku let Jack’s hair free and slid his hand between them, grasping Jack’s cock, watching his eyes roll back.

Aku stared at the sight, Jack with his wet hair now sticking in tendrils to the sweat around his face and neck, grimacing in a pained ecstasy, eyes rolled partly back, just living this moment. Just feeling what he was letting Aku do to him, with him. He _was_ beautiful.

Jack gasped as he finally came, tensing everything and it pushed Aku over the edge once more. Jack fell limply against the sheets, looking blearily up at Aku. They both hissed with oversensitivity when Aku pulled away.

Aku smiled as he laid down beside Jack, watching him twitch with little aftershocks.

“wh.. what did you _do_ to me?” he asked softly.

Aku scoffed, “What did you do to _me_?”

Jack looked at him confusedly, but let out a contented hum when Aku kissed him.


	32. Funerals and Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's one thing to kill zombies in the video game on your tablet

Ana knocked on the door and Jack sat up, confused. Aku was already letting Ana in by the time his brain woke up.

“Are you still in a bad mood??” Ana asked Aku sadly.

“Oh, yes, do you have any idea who you are taking too?” He said dramatically, and pretended to make a swipe for her.

“Oh NO!” She ran across the room, shrieking with laughter until she was finally caught and thrown over Aku’s shoulder. Sitting up, Jack raised his eyebrows in amazement but managed to keep himself quiet.

Jack sheepishly snuck into the bathroom to take a shower while Ana was distracted. When he returned shortly after, the two of them were sitting on the floor next to Ana’s tablet. His eyes lingered for a moment on the little black flash drive.

“You gotta tap it twice or the zombies get back up again!” she warned Aku seriously.

“I see,” he agreed, quickly following her directions.

A very fake zombie scream echoed from the device right after.

Jack smiled as he sat across from them. Ana immediately perked up.

“Jack, Aku is better at my video game than I am! Tell him it’s not fair!”

Jack grinned, “I can tell you from personal experience that he is not concerned with what is fair,”

“HAHAH!” Aku laughed, “Dead. Got them.”

“Aw,”Ana fake pouted.

Jack patted her red hair.

“So… are you goanna take me back home today?”

Jack frowned at her, “To your house?”

She nodded sadly.

“Do you not recall the last time we let you come with us?” Aku reminded her.

Ana frowned, looking at the floor sadly, “Y... yeah,” she and nodded, folding her arms and nodding a little more relaxedly, “ya…you’re right,... I just don’t wanna be alone, you know? I... you guys showed up right after so I haven’t had to live by myself...”

“We will not leave you alone,” Jack said, “You should go back to school, at least to see your friends again,”

She blinked, “You mean you’re goanna take me to stay at Hugh’s house?”

“Who is that?” Aku asked tersely.

“My Moms best friend who I used to stay with to go to school,”

“Then, yes, that one,”

“Yes,” Jack agreed, “We do not want to leave you. If I could, I would take you along but…”

She nodded, “I know. I’m really sorry I yelled at you,” her eyes lingered on Aku, who raised an eyebrow at her.

Jack smiled, “No need,”

“We will take you to your friends house and you should stay there for a while,” Aku said firmly, “In case Nebula comes looking for us,”

“Oh yeah,” she grimaced, “I hope he doesn’t burn my Mom’s house down,”

“And, so we can check on you,”

Ana beamed, “You.. you’ll come back and check on me?”

“Of course,” Jack told her kindly, “We will miss you, even more than you shall miss us, I think,”

“ _Nuh uh,_ ” she shook her head, “Okay... it’s only like a day away to get to my Moms friends house. We’re leaving now?”

“That would be best. The sooner we are rid of Nebula,” Aku curled his fingers around an invisible throat, “The _better_ ,”

Jack’s eyes fell back on the flash drive and Ana picked it up, peering at it sideways.

“Uh, That is—” Jack started,

“The video you got from the club place?” Ana finished,

“Yes…” Aku agreed.

“Can I take the video?” Ana asked them seriously,

“What? Why would you want that?” Aku asked, looking her her like she’s lost her mind.

“Uhm, this is probably stupid, but…” she swallowed thickly, “It’s the only copy of that right?”

“Yes, it should be,” Aku said,

“I ... well I want to break it and then...”

Jack nodded for her to continue.

“I... I didn’t get to have a funeral or burial for Mom, you know? And she wouldn’t want people to see that. So we could burry it for her and then... I.. I dunno. It’s probably stupid.”

Jack shook his head, “No, it is not stupid. I think that is a good idea,”

They both looked at Aku.

Aku grimaced at them, “Wh.. what?”

“What do _you_ think?” Ana asked,

“Uh... it... sure?”

Ana smiled gratefully and stuffed the little black rectangle into her coat pocket. It did not take them long to gather all of their things and head back out into the cold.

“What is the direction of ‘Hughs’?” Aku asked,

“Uh… I dunno. Can we… can we go to the cliffs first? I know its out of the way…”

“That is out of the way,” Aku agreed, looking perturbed, “The cliff where you uh.. helped me?”

“We can do that,” Jack said firmly, nodding to Aku.

Aku shrugged, “If you are both fine with freezing, let us be on the way,”

Jack knew the way. He was certain that the location of that cliffside would be burned into his memory until he was dead. The trees were different now, leafless and dark. The sky was much more grey, but Jack was sure he knew where he was going.

Sure enough, a few tiring hours later, they made it to the top of that familiar cliff. It looked a lot less intimidating with open sky’s and foamy green water beneath it. Jack smiled, and almost ran into Aku who had stopped dead in front of him.

Aku stood very still, looking down at the ground and Jack’s eyes followed.

The earth beneath them was barren, unnaturally dry and brown for a few feet in all directions.

“Everything’s still all dead!” Ana observed, walking back from looking down into the water.

“Y...yes,” Aku said softly,

“Do you think the grass will ever grow back?” she asked him,

“Probably,”

Jack couldn’t fathom what Aku was thinking, though he watched him slide the sole of his black boots across the burn and watched dust kick up into the cold air. Aku glanced up when he realized Jack was staring. Jack bit his lip apologetically and looked away.

Aku swallowed, “I, uh, I am amazed that I am alive,” he said very quietly.

Ana smiled up at him.

“Sorry, this is, ah, yes let us do what we came here to do,” he said, patting Ana on the shoulder.

They watched as she gathered a couple of stones, balanced it on one and began smashing it with the other. Ana gathered the remains of them and turned to her friends.

“Okay,” she said, more to the plastic shards than anyone in particular. Jack made to help her dig a hole, but when she knelt down and broke into the cold earth with a stone, her determined expression held him back.

It wasn’t a very deep grave, as the ground here was hard and rocky, and all they had were bits of broken plastic. She gave it her best shot all the same. Ana pressed the broken pieces into the dirt and took out her water bottle, dousing them in water to insure they would never be used again.

“There Mom,” she said softly, “Now there is one less bad thing in the world, I hope that makes you happy. I love you,”

Ana moved to start replacing the dirt.

“w-Wait,” Aku said, slowly coming closer. She looked up at him with wide wet eyes. “here, this is… eh.. hers too.” he fished something small from his coat pocket and she blinked when the cracked bead fell into her palm.

“Thank you,” she said sadly, pressing it into the earth besides the plastic.

Jack let out a short breath, bowing his head. But Aku watched as Ana blessed the ground with her quiet tears and shoveled the dirt back into place, covering the top with small shells and stones.

Ana backed up after she had finished, sniffling, and grasped Aku by the wrist.

“That is...” he muttered,

She peered up at him, “What?” She asked, trying to clear her eyes with her sleeve.

“Very nice,... I think are the... right words. I have seen many funerals but this one is very nice,”

Ana beamed and then laughed.

“But we should not stay here, it is… dangerous,”

She didn’t believe him. But she nodded anyways.

And they were on their way again.

The walk back through the trees was arduous but much less silent as Ana told them about how _awfully_ boring school would be compared with this.

“My history teacher whose name is Mr. Spoon—maybe thats his nickname? I know it’s weird, anyway. He _always_ is talking about you!” She pointed at Aku, “And now I’m goanna have to sit there and pretend like he’s not _completely_ wrong,”

“Is he though?” Aku teased, swinging her over a log that was in her way, “You cannot go around now and tell people how ‘ _kind’_ I am, now, girl,”

She scoffed, “Whyyy? Would that embarrass you, _Aku_?”

Aku pretended to cry, “Oh by the Gods! You must not tell!” He rolled his eyes, “No, you will just set up false hopes and expectations of me!”

“Pffff,” She jeered, “No he says weird stuff though like, uh, uhm, you only take victims in odd numbers. Never more than 47 people to one room,”

“What?” Jack asked Aku.

Aku shrugged back.

“He thinks he know everything about you. He says you have a complex about magic numbers so you will only do weird stuff like that, 4 is the number of death! So it’s the only even number you use! All the other ones have to be odd numbers so it’s like, 1,3,4,5,7,9,11, and blah blah…”

Jack couldn’t decide if he was annoyed, disturbed, or wanted to laugh.

Aku also looked torn.

“...Dispen?” Aku asked, “Dr. Dispen?”

“Oh my Gods! _Yes_! Do yo actually _know_ him?”

Jack tilted his head.

“No... not really. He is one of those lunatics that never stops sending me mail,”

Ana choked and then snorted, “Oh my Gods. He is always talkin’ like,” Ana tilted her head down and in a strangely false deep voice said ‘Master _Aku_ my freind and acquaintance,”

Jack smiled, “ _why_?”

“Because he is a lunatic,” Aku said, shaking his head, “they let him _teach_?”

“Yep, Mr. Spoon’s weird though.” Ana sighed, shaking her head, “I’m goanna fail that class now because all my essays will be ‘inaccurate’,”

“You have to write essays about me?”

“Do not show him!” Jack warned.

“What? Why?” Aku demanded in surprise.

Jack stuck his nose up importantly, “Your ego does not need the assistance,”

Ana burst into riotous laughter at the look of irritation on Aku’s face.

“Do lots of weirdos send you mail, Aku?”

“Of course,”

“Do you usually read all your mail? I thought you had like, people to do that stuff for you.”

“I do. I still hear about it when someone sends me 3000 letters and writes 9 books about me.”

“Gotta be in uneven numbers,” Ana said nodding, “Otherwise he might offend you,”

Aku rolled his eyes, “I do get some of it directly. From… the Shadow Sisters, for instance, and their counterparts, the Brotherhood of Shadows,”

“The Brotherhood?” Jack asked, looking horrified, “Those were the men with the Shadow Sisters when they attacked Ana’s house?”

“I would think.” Aku said thoughtfully, “Yes. Unfortunately, the Brotherhood of Shadows is more dangerous,”

“Cause they’re all men?” asked Ana, looking up at him in a sort of disgusted disappointment.

“No, because they are idiots who have a lot of money. Hence the robots,” he explained, smirking at her dislike.

Ana danced for joy once they reached an even road, skipping across the path and back with a wide smile.

“We walk fast don’t we?” she announced proudly.

Aku snickered, “Perhaps.”

“We can take this road all the way to the city. It’s goanna take _forever_ though,” she said, dropping her arms to the side like she was melting, to emphasize ‘forever’.

“More time to spend with us,” Jack said with a little smirk and she turned, smiling, when a rock grazed across her temple and she fell back a steps in confusion, scrubbing her face where she’d been struck.

Jack looked out over the road in surprise. He hadn’t heard or felt anything. Which is why he was just as stunned when one hit him nearly between the eyes and he reeled back with a loud yell of anger.

Aku stared out unblinkingly, and yet, saw nothing.

“Ana,” he said holding his hand out for her to come closer.

She rushed towards him but was knocked onto her side in a flash. Aku leapt out to follow and was instantly blinded in one eye by another rock.

“ANA!” They both yelled.

Ana let out a fearful cry in response.

“ _Put the sword down or else_!” said a ragged woman's voice. She was holding Ana around the neck with one thin hand and brandishing a pointed stone with the other.

Jack froze, his hand having automatically landed on the swords hilt. Aku glared with the eye not covered by his hand.

“I said! _Put the sword down or else_!” She hissed, holding her arm out and aiming it at Ana’s temple. Ana stayed remarkably still, green eyes steadily focused on her friends.

“There is no need for this,” Jack said, holding his hands out.

“The sword! _Right now_!”

Jack nodded and began undying the sword from his belt. She watched him carefully.Aku took the moment to clear the space between them and palm her in the nose. She was thrown onto her back. She wailed in shock and Ana scrambled to get back to Jack. Aku backed up now that Ana was behind him. He looked at Jack for direction.

“You must leave,” Jack told her loudly, re-tying the knot without looking away from her.

She spat blood on the ground and rolled onto her side, glaring at the three of them.

“Damn you, _Yin_! As if the _Samurai_ needs _your_ help!”

Aku scowled, “You are a Shadow Sister?” he asked, eyeing her torn rag clothing and long white hair with one eye.

“I am asking you to leave,” Jack said again, more sharply.

She laughed, stumbling to her feet, “Fine!” The Shadow Sister turned slowly, and then whipped around again, throwing something from the her sleeve.

Jack only had a millisecond to identify it as a small explosive and turn his sword so that it hit the object on the flat side like a bat, knocking it away. The Sister rushed them again, knocking Ana over as she clawed wildly at Aku. She flailed madly, like a rabid cat and screeched. Her pointed fingernails going straight for his eyes.

“Yin!” Ana screamed. Jack stepped over her, waiting for an opening between Aku smacking her hands out of his face, his eyes were shut now against the attack and so his aim was poor. She leaned back triumphantly, wrapping her claws around his throat.

“Please! Stop!” Jack yelled.

“They will be so pleased, so pleased,” she moaned, digging her nails into his neck. Jack could see the blood.

Aku finally threw her off, and just as he made to move again, she tossed street dust into his good eye, latching back onto him with her teeth like a dog. He snarled madly shoving her off again, but she knocked him back onto the ground. She pulled another explosive from her sleeve as she stepped on his back.

Then she froze. A stunned look plastered her face.

She slowly looked down at the sword, poking out from her ribs on the right. Jack pulled it back, pushing Ana backwards as he backed away. Aku mercilessly shoved her off, climbing back onto his feet. He gasped and coughed, trying to clear his eyes.

“No!” She screamed, “No! I’m not supposed to die!”

Jack looked on sadly and Aku with a look of malice, his eyes watering painfully. Ana shook, leaning against Aku as the Shadow Sister screamed, covering the hole in her chest as it began to stream.

“No! Gods! You cannot let me die! _Please_!”

Ana staggered around Jack, peering up at him.

“Can I help her?”

“ _What_?!” Aku growled.

Jack grimaced, “I do not think it is safe,” he told her gently, taking her hand when she held it out.

“B-but...”

“PLEASE!” She wailed, falling onto her side, gawking at the blood on her hands.

Ana began to cry and Jack shook his head but she pulled away, hurrying to the woman’s side.

Her hands began to glow, just lightly, and she knelt beside her.

“I.. I can help you!” She said, gently putting her hands on the woman’s shoulder.

The Shadow Sister seemed to cower from her, gaping at the glowing light like it might burn her. Aku lurched forward but Jack caught him before he could grab her.

“Ana!” he barked, in a fear fueled rage, “Get back here!”

Ana looked back at him apologetically before biting her lip and closing her eyes, concentrating on the energy she was using. The Shadow Sisters blood dripped slowly, slowly, and then stopped. She stared up at Ana, wide eyed, lips parted.

“Ah, are you okay?” Ana asked, moving her hands back.

Several things happened at once. The woman’s face bent into a snarl once. Jack threw himself into Ana, knocking them both out of her way as she bolted back up. As Jack moved past her she swiped his sleeve. It slashed open his arm and broke his belt. His sword fell at her feet and she picked it up, standing almost drunkenly.

“Stupid girl!” The Shadow Sister said, baring her teeth, “You shall all _suffer_ for your insolence and _idiocy_!”

Jack looked up in surprise, only just catching onto the fact that she now had his sword. Ana grasped her forearm, silently crying with confusion and fear in her eyes. She made for them when Aku stepped in her way.

“Fine,” she smiled, “I shall kill you first then,” she drew the sword from the sheath and Aku glared. She, only a few feet from where he stood, ran forward and swung the blade straight into his open palm, where it stopped. Aku ground his teeth. She jerked in surprise.

“This sword cannot be used in the hands of evil,” he told her,

She bared her teeth at him, yanking backwards, but he outreached her, ripping it out of her hands.

“Will you use it to kill me then!?” She screamed, flexing her bloody claws.

Aku didn’t blink, he tossed the sword to the ground, “Did you not hear me, idiot? I said, the sword cannot be used in the hands of evil! _..and trust me, I am much worse than you,_ ” he growled darkly.

“Then why have you not attacked already!? Are you afraid?” She laughed, her eyes watering with the hilarity of it.

Aku unconsciously glanced at Jack, making sure they were still safe behind him.

“ohhh, is that it?” she asked, “ _Soft_ spot for the Samurai?” she teased in her high voice, “Insolence.”

She ran at Ana and Jack once more.

But Aku had had enough.

He cut into her way, throwing her off her feet and intercepted her next move before she had the time to stand. She screeched, clawing him wildly as his knuckles collided with her collarbone. She staggered, but came at him again, and he grasped her by the arm, allowing her to throw her weight and using it against her. Her arm made an awful crunch and she screamed yet again.

Ana gasped and Jack covered her eyes, pulling her away, his own eyes wide.

“You! You will have to kill me!” She yelled, stumbling towards him, gripping her limp arm with her other hand.

She screamed, one last time, slashing at him and missing. By the time she managed to turn again, Aku already had her by her hair.

“I said you’ll have to kill me!”

“Then _die_.” he said coldly, he yanked her off her feet so she lay awkwardly close to the ground, and with one horrible, loud, _CRUNCH_ , her face met the stone road.

Jack swallowed, still holding Ana’s head against his sleeve, lips tight. The Shadow Sister gurgled, blood flowing from her forehead, nose, and mouth. She breathed in wet staccato gasps for just a moment longer, before sighing and going limp.

Aku stood there for a long moment, hands shaking in a fury, glaring out into the trees.

Ana ripped herself from Jack’s grasp and looked at the woman, her face went ash grey and she tore away, into the woods with a shrill fearful cry.

Jack did not move. He waited stiffly for Aku to say something. After a long silence, when he still did not speak, Jack got to his feet and stepped closer. Aku spun around to face him and backed away, his own lips white.

“Aku,” he whispered,

Aku blinked rapidly, eyes on everything except Jack, “She was going to kill, Ana,” he said defensively, twitchily. Jack nodded, but Aku did not see, he couldn’t bring himself to look.

Jack stepped closer again and Aku backed away, crossing his arms over his chest as if Jack had the sword pointed at him.

“ _Aku_ ,” he said again, more insistently.

“She would have killed you both! I had no choice! If I had not done anything!? She would have—”

“I _know_!” Jack yelled over him.

Aku’s eyes finally snapped back, meeting Jack’s gaze.

“Aku, I am not going to attack you,” he said, motioning to the sword in the grass.

“You are not angry?” he said, confused,

Jack shook his head, and looked back towards the woods, chewing his lip and sighing, “Yet this is exactly why Ana should not be with us,”

Aku nodded stiffly and Jack stepped closer again, when Aku didn’t back away, Jack took looked over the cuts on his neck carefully. He tilted his head down to check his eyes.

“Is your eye alright? Can you see clearly?”

“I am fine,” Aku told him, “You are bleeding,”

“Yes, it is a shallow cut,” he agreed, allowing Aku to inspect him as well before they both looked out into the woods.

Aku sighed sadly.

“She does not hate you,” he told Aku.

Aku glared.

“She is _frightened_ , Aku.” he told him, pleadingly, “Will you stay here so I can go get her?”

He nodded, glancing down at the Shadow Sister.

“I suppose we should do something about her as well…”

Jack frowned sadly, “Ana saved her life.”

“And she _threw it_ away,” Aku hissed.

Jack shook his head and sighed, “Okay, stay here.”

Aku sat on the ground beside the dead woman. As Jack disappeared into the trees he turned to sneer at her.

“This is your fault, you psychotic bitch,” he told her angrily.

Jack ran at first, certain he would have to catch up with her, but slowed when he heard the sound of ragged breathing. She was leaned against a tree with her hands on her knees, gagging painfully.

“Ana?” Jack said gently, partially just to let her know he was there so she would not be startled.

She gave a small squeak and threw up. Jack turned away, grimacing sympathetically. 


	33. The Scotsman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana gets to meet the Scotsman o0o

Jack carried Ana back out of the woods after he’d coaxed her into a temporary calm. Aku was still there when he came back, and although the body was not, Jack did not question it. Aku also had Jack’s sword, though he didn’t ask for it back, as Ana was nearly limp. It was freezing and to Jack’s growing dismay the sky was beginning to grow cloudy. In a tense silence they continued down the road.

Today was only half over and already felt like a painful circle to nowhere. But at least they had made it to the road. It made the next few hours of walking that much smoother.

As a dull winter rain began to fall, Aku stopped them beside a building. Jack would not have noticed it, in all its bland white glory, it it had not been pointed out to him. “Hotel”, it read in large swirly cursive over the door. It looked expensive, but he wasn’t in the mood to question anything that might help Ana get out of this situation faster.

Up into another room they went, all the way up to the 25th floor.

“She’s asleep?” Aku whispered in surprise when Jack laid her down on the bed and covered her with a sheet.

“I am not sure. I think she is. She is also in shock.”

Aku’s shoulders drooped and he meandered over to the furthest corner to lurk. Jack untied Ana’s boots, took them off and covered her in a few blankets before following him.

“She has not spoken in hours,” Aku grumbled,

“Her throat is sore,” Jack told him gently,

“The city is only a few hours from here,”

“We could make that tomorrow,” Jack said nodding,

“No. That is not what I mean. I think we should have her friends come and get her.”

“How?”

Aku looked up grumpily, “With a _phone_ ,”

Jack felt his ears go red, “Ye-eh, yes, of course.” he agreed, looking away. “For her safety, I think that is the best option.” he agreed. “Tomorrow we can—”

“I am going back downstairs… I will get her something… to drink and eat.” He said jerkily. Jack frowned at him.

“Aku, Do you want to be alone?”

He shrugged, “You as well. Food. Yes,” he stood and wandered back into the hallway, glaring holes into the red carpeting.

Aku wandered around in a circle, forgetting for a while that he was supposed to go to the elevators. He stood in the elevator, rocking back and forth on his heels, holding his wrists together behind his back, ignoring how his messy hair was laying over his sore eyes. He didn’t move when people got on the elevator beside him and they crowded themselves against the walls to give him space.

He got off on the first floor and paused. He could smell food and hear the bustling of people talking but the thought of being close to them made him sick. He turned and went the opposite direction, wandering aimlessly.

When he was himself again, he was going to disband every single one of those women and put them into camps somewhere. He could almost _taste_ the scoff Jack would give him for saying such a thing. Send them to help people then? If they were sane enough to still to such a thing. A lot of those girls were very young.

His mind went blank for a long moment and he paused, staring blindly at a massive painting of wilderness hanging on the wall. He swallowed. Young girls. A lot of them were homeless before they joined that cult. An image of Ana wearing black robes cut into his brain and he covered his face with his left hand, ignoring the sting around his eye.

If he could go back in time and beat himself senseless…

The fantasy was useless and very tempting.

He dropped his hand and curled his fingers around nothing, watching them instantly blacken. He could do it. But he could not keep it that way for long. It was too exhausting. But it _was_ returning. Soon he would be strong enough to pin Nebula in a position where Jack could send him back to where he belonged! Everything was going to be different after this… his hands fell at his sides.

Ana… he really hoped she didn’t hate him now. Or worse. If he’d scared her out of being able to be herself around him. He’d figured that eventually it would click in her sharp little brain although he may not be the demon that murdered her Mother, he could just as easily have been. She’d hated him before she’d met him trapped in this human form. They probably both saw him as much easier to connect with this form.

Aku turned away from the meaningless painting and wandered aimlessly down another hallway. He paused in front of a large door that read, ‘Ballroom’ and had large glass windows. Would he be able to keep either of them? Would he be able to keep either of them safe ?

His eyes focused on his reflection.

He jumped back in surprise.

His reflection stared back at him only, it was his _real_ reflection. Aku drew closer, running his hands over his throat and watching his demon self do the same. They both were covered in those electric lines. So those were permanent? Or at least long lasting? He blinked and glared down at the floor.

Perhaps he could just split into two people. He heard himself scoffing at the thought. He glanced around the hallway in search of a switch and paused for a moment before trodding over and flicking them off.

For a moment he fought with himself. His hands faded in and out of blackness. Finally he gave in and tilted his head back tiredly, and in that moment of complete submission his human body disappeared. His eyes opened and he stared back at the reflection in the glass, his round eyes narrowed. His hands shook slightly and he forced the shift back so fast he stumbled on his human legs and fell against the wall. He grimaced. But at least no-one had seen him.

Aku sank down onto the floor and wound his arms around his knees.

Ana coughed and Jack looked up.

“Are you alright?”

“Can I have some water?”

“Of course,” he said, looking for the small fridge he’d become accustomed to seeing in hotels. He brought her a bottle of water and she took a timid sip, clearing her throat a few times before managing to actually drink some. Her bleary eyes peered around the room.

“Where ?”

“He is down… doing some thing.” Jack shrugged.

“He’s mad at me, isn’t he?” she said weakly, her eyes beginning to water.

“No!” He said quickly, “He is worried that you are angry with him?”

“Angry at _him_?” she hiccuped, Jack pushed her to drink some more water, “I made him kill that lady!”

Jack’s eyes went wide and then narrowed in confusion, “What?”

“He wanted to keep me safe, and I wouldn’t listen and then he had to kill her all over again! I’m sorry, Jack, I’m sorry,” she moaned,

Jack hugged her.

“Ana…”

She clung to his shoulders, “I’m sorry you had to do that,”

“Listen,” Jack said, sitting back and putting his hands on her shoulders, “None of that was your fault.”

“But—”

“You cannot control the actions or decisions of others.”

She blinked at him, sniffing, “But… I didn’t listen.”

“You wanted to help her. After which she chose to attack us again. She made a choice, Ana. You could not have stopped her from doing that. I am sorry you saw…”

Ana swallowed down another hiccup and drank more water when Jack pushed the bottle at her.

“Can we find him? I’m hungry and I want to see him,”

Jack smiled, “Yes. We will go and find him.”

She slid her shoes back on and Jack held her hand as she shakily walked back down the hall and into the elevators. Several people stared at her as she passed and with a twinge of surprise he realized that they were gawking. He tightened his grip on her hand just a tad tighter.He was used to being stared at, but watching people do it to her gave him the creeps and made him feel defensive.

He couldn’t help but hear the vindictive voice in his mind saying, ‘you people are lucky she is only with me’. He shook it from his mind. Ana smiled at him when her stomach growled loudly.

“Sorry,” she said amusedly.

“We will find food soon,” he assured her.

The elevator doors opened onto the first floor and Jack’s mouth fell open. They almost closed again before Ana reached out to stop them.

“OI!” came a loud booming voice.

As it’s owner came into view, Jack gawked in surprise. Ana did too, but for completely different reasons.

“OI! Jack! I see ya still wearin’ a dress, Laddie,” The Scotsman called, bursting into laughter that shook the people beside him into moving further away. Jack lead her out of the elevator.

Ana blinked slowly and looked up at Jack. Jack smiled back softly.

“WHA’ are the odds?” The Scotsman spat by way of greeting, “How ‘ave you _been_?! There’s been a hell of a lot of trouble with tha’ new _deeaaamon_ , around. Ya seen em?”

“Yes,” Jack said gravely, “I have. Actually, might talk to you about that later?”

“Yer wantin’ te fight em?” The Scotsman barked out another laugh, “Lead the way!”

Jack smiled, “First, however,” he tried to motion and realized that Ana had slowly moved behind him. He pulled her out and put a hand on her shoulder. “I would like you to meet my friend, Ana,”

The Scotsman’s whole demeanor changed when he saw her, smiling much more softly.

“It’s an honor to meet ya, lass. I ave been _hopin’_ I’d run into ya er’ since I saw your face on the wanted posters! I shoulda known you’d be with Jack,”

“Hi,” she said shyly, giving him a tiny wave.

Jack smiled.

“What on earth did ya do to get yourself on those posters at yer age? It took me years to get me mug on one of em'!”

Jack scoffed amusedly and shook his head, “It is not a good thing that she has one,”

“My Mother was the only maker of the famous magic beads,” she told him, “She…eh… was killed recently. I think people think I know how to make more,”

“Eh?!” The Scotsman looked horrified and shook his head sadly, “I’m sorry, Lass, really,”

She smiled nervously and looked away. Startled by this sudden reunion, Jack forgot their earlier plan and lead them into one of the many restaurants attached to the hotel. He picked the most secluded one he could see, to ensure they had space… and to try to keep the eardrums of their fellow patrons intact.

The three of them sat at a round table. The waiter glanced over looking confused and weary at the bizarre combination of people.

“I heard them beads could do all sortsa magic! They are supposed to be ‘eavy!”

Ana shrugged, “You’ll have to ask Jack,”

“ _Eh_?”

Jack shook his sleeve back and the Scotsman gawked, blinking rapidly, “Wha?! They are _beautiful_ aren’t they?!”

Jack smiled, “Yes. I have not noticed that they are particularly heavy.”

“Ehhhh,” he nodded, “So wha’s the deal with this red demon then, eh?” He laughed darkly, “Seems he’s been out doin’ some of Aku’s dirty work!”

Ana and Jack looked at each other and then back to him.

“But before all tha! How did you two run inta each other? I’ll bet _tha_ s a story worth hearing!”

“Uhh,” Jack blinked.

The waiter set water down in front of them.

“Goanna need something a little stronger if ya know wha I mean,”

“Sure thing,” the waiter said anxiously, “And you?”

“Hot tea?” he asked hopefully,

“Soda,” Ana said brightly.

The waiter nodded and hurried off.

“SO?”

“Jack and Yin saved me in the city.” Ana said after Jack failed to answer, “I was sort of just... wandering after my Mom, yanno? And, and, so, that poster showed up right then. People started hunting me because of that... And Jack and Yin stopped them.”

The Scotsman nodded along, raising his eyebrow at Jack.

“What?”

“Who is ‘Yin’? Another of yer friends?”

“Yeah,” Ana agreed brightly.

Jack was pale. What the hell was he going to tell the man if he figured out what was going on? He didn’t even know where Aku was. What if he just walked in on this?

“She pretty?” The Scotsman asked, raising a knowing eyebrow,

“What!?” Jack spat before he could stop himself.

Ana giggled slightly and the Scotsman broke into laugher once more.

“I was kidden’ bu’ by the look on yer face, Lad, yer not telling me somethin’, eh? So. She pretty?”

Jack felt heat flooding his face. Flashing memories of fierce green eyes much to close swirled around and choked him, preventing him from answering.

“She is! She is! HAHA!” He cackled.

“He,” Ana corrected.

The waiter set their drinks down and slid menus onto the table catching them at the most tensely silent moment on accident. He hurried away.

Jack slow blinked.

The Scotsman took him in for a long moment, “He?”

Jack frowned, looking around the room like he meant to escape.

“No worries,” he said honestly, “Ah jus.. ner’ pictured you swingin’ tha’ way is all,”

Jack blushed hard and shrugged.

“You ave always been a bit of a pretty boy though, eh?” He burst into more raucous laughter.

Jack grimaced.

“I’m jus kidden’, lad, so what’s he like then?”

“Uhhhh,”

“He pretty too?”

“He’s very handsome,” Ana told him over her soda

The Scotsman laughed.

“You are a spitfire arent ye? Tell me, ah know Jack won’t,”

Jack blushed and frowned. Even if it was true.

“Well he’s... uhm,” she shrugged thoughtfully, “Really really smart. Kind of blunt,”

“Oh, ye? Well somebody’s got a wear the pants in that relationship, right? Ye can’t _both_ be shy, right?” He laughed and laughed at the look on Jacks face.

Ana giggled.

“He’s strong too, right? Brave?? Won’t have none of them scaredy cat types who can’t handle yer adventures!”

Jack coughed awkwardly, “Yes, he... he is unafraid of …adventures,”

Jack felt a little faint as Ana pulled her tablet out of her bag and turned it on.

“Wassa?” The Scotsman asked,

“Here,” she said with a small smile, opening a picture on the screen.

Jack blinked. Even upside down he could tell it was a good picture, Aku probably hadn’t noticed her taking it because he was laying across the couch back at her house looking cooly uninterested and staring out the window. The light seemed to be trapped in his green eyes.

The Scotsman gasped, taking the tablet and holding it up like he was trying to memorize it.

“Eh-…He _is_ pretty, enneh?” He chuckled, slapping Jack much too hard across the shoulders. Jack winced.

“I hope he makes ya happy, Jack, you deserve nothin’ less,”

“Th-th..thank you,” he wheezed awkwardly, “So what has brought you here? We are on the way to the city,”

“On my way _out_ of the city,” he said nonchalantly, “Had some business to take care of. Ehehehe,”

Jack didn’t ask.

Aku wandered back down the hallway in a sort of haze. He needed to get food and go back up. Maybe he could sleep. A disembodied fear struck him and he paused, glancing around, he saw Jack and Ana sitting at one of the restaurants. Across from them…

Oh.

Oh Gods.

Oh Gods, _no_.

Ana waved and he froze. Jack’s eyes met his and they stared at each other in comparable amounts of high horror.

“Yin?” Ana waved, calling him over.

Aku grimaced and backed up into the hall. He was not staying for _that_. No. No. He chose life.

“Yin..?” Ana blinked as Aku disappeared down the hall, “Uh, I’ll go get him,” She said, standing up.

“No-No,” Jack said, “I-Will go-”

“But, No I-”

“No! I will do it!”

“If one eh ya don’t go in a sec, _ah will_.” The Scotsman cut in, looking confused and amused.

“Right,” Jack said and ran off before Ana could stop him.

Ana stared in confusion for a moment before slowly returning to her seat.

Jack rounded the corner and stared down the hallway. No one was there and he couldn’t hear anything. The left corridor was darker. He took that one. To his relief, he saw Aku leaning against the wall, arms folded across his chest. He looked up when Jack reached him.

“What is that buffoon doing all the way out here?”

Jack smiled and rolled his eyes, “He is my friend,”

Aku growled. Jack put his hands on Aku’s face and tilted his head down so he could see him properly.

“You look very beaten up,” Jack told him with a small smile, “You should go back up to the room and rest. We can bring _you_ food,”

“But Ana…”

The sound of small rapid footsteps silenced them.

“Aku!” Ana hurried over to them and hugged Aku around the middle. He blinked confusedly.

“Ah… I am… Ana I am—”

“I’m sorry,” she said, squeezing him.

“Sorry?”

“You’re forgiven,” she said.

Aku blinked and shook his head. He hugged her, though he wasn’t sure what had just happened.

Aku tensed and as soon as Jack heard the mismatched footsteps he did too. Tap CLINK tap CLINK tap CLINK.

“Ohhhhh great,” Aku growled,

“What’s wrong?” Ana asked,

“Did… Did jus’ hear you correctly?” Asked the Scotsman in a slow angry voice.

“Ya said… ‘Aku’?” The Scotsman drew closer slowly, “Yer… tellin’ me...”

Jack tensed and Ana shrank behind him. Aku crossed his arms unhappily.

“You have been travelin’ aroun’ with that blasted demon?! And ya haven’t _killed_ him already?!?”

Jack grimaced.

“Have you lost your mind again?!”

“Again?” Ana said confusedly.

“No, I have not lost my mind,” Jack said, putting his hands up, “It is a long story and if you do not let me—“

“LE ME AT EM!” The Scotsman cried, aiming for Aku.

Ana gasped, grabbing Jacks hand but he pushed her back. The Scotsman drew his sword and Jack drew his, but before either of them could move flames shot across the room, incinerating a line in the red carpeting between them.

Jack grasped Ana and they both stared for a moment in shock. Ana eyed the Scotsman with distain in her pretty green eyes.

“Did you just _threaten_ my girl?” Said Aku’s cold voice. “Tell me I did not just see that,” he growled,

“Oh,” the Scotsman said, glowering, “So it _is_ you, eh? What ‘ave ya done to Jack and his friend?!”

Aku snarled, standing in front of Jack and Ana, “You drew your weapon on a _little girl_? Jack says you’re a ‘good person’, is he mistaken?!”

Jack grimaced, frozen in surprise by the entire situation.

“Don you twist what happened, Demon! I say! _What have you done to them_?!” He bellowed, “What twisted, evil, distorted, curse did you put on them to make them think you are their friend?!”

Jack grasped Aku by the arm, alarmed by the expression of rage.

“He _is_!” Jack insisted, “You must listen to us!”

“He’s _lying_ to ya both! You’ve lost your damn minds!”

“He is not—”

“MIND CONTROLIN’”

“But otherwise he is stuck in this—“

“WARPIN REALITY AS HE PLEASES!”

Jack frowned, grinding his teeth.

“Get off me, Jack,” Aku growled,

“No.”

“YOU THREATENED MY GIRL!” He cried, his form shifting at the edges.

“Stop it!” Ana yelled and Aku jolted like he’d been slapped, looking down at her concernedly. She hurried around him and wrapped her arms around his middle, glaring at the Scotsman defiantly.

“Wha?!”

Jack smiled a little. That was a checkmate. He knew the Scotsman would never actually try to hurt Ana. Even if he did scare the hell out of them.

“Wha in the bloody... You’re both knocked in the head!” He shook his own head, glaring and pointed his sword aggressively at Aku.

“Fer the last time, Demon! What did you do to my friend?! An the girl!?”

Ana glared at him.

“Why can’t you just listen?!”

“You know who tha _is_ ya’ got yer arms around?! You canna be _serious_! This is not the first time Jack’s been hypnotized by some daft creature tryen’ ya stop him from reachin’ his goal No. The moment you step away, I will—”

Ana let go and turned towards him, her eyes wide and her lips in a straight line.

“I SAID STOP! _AND I MEAN IT_!”

“LASS YER OUT OF YER-“

“AND SOME FRIEND OF JACKS _YOU_ ARE IF YOU WONT EVEN LISTEN TO WHAT HE’S TRYING TO TELL YOU! AKU SAVED US FROM THE RED DEMON! YOU WEREN'T THERE! YOU DON’T KNOW!” her voice cracked at the end from the screaming and she swallowed painfully.

Aku blinked slowly, a small smile forming at the edge of his lips. Admiring her fierceness.

“You’re going to take the word of a lying beast?”

Ana sniffed angrily, “Jack and Aku used one of the beads to call her for me.” Her eyes welled with tears, but her voice did not waver, “DO not lay a hand on him! HE IS MY FRIEND AND I DO NOT CARE WHAT YOU THINK OF IT!”

Aku put his hand on her shoulder, pulling her back, and humming something to her. She jerked her head away from the Scotsman, stamping away with her little feet in a rage.

Jack and the Scotsman stared wide eyed, as she gave the three of them one last warning snarl and left.

Aku mumbled softly under his breath to himself, sighing.

“W..well,” Jack said awkwardly, “Perhaps we should, ah... cool off?”

The Scotsman snickered angrily.

“If one hair on either of their heads are out of order tomorrow mornin’, Aku, I swear I’ll pin your heart to the bricks with one swing, ya caniving bastard!”

Aku squinted, but managed to remain calm, silently sending the fire of his loathing as far as his human eyes could send them.

The Scotsman stormed away too and Aku immediately rubbed his hands together anxiously. Jack peered at him sideways.

“I...” Aku coughed awkwardly, “Burned myself, a little,” he whispered.

Jack snorted, he couldn’t help it, and soon they were both laughing off the stress.

“Thank you for not setting him on fire,”

“Yes...”

“You missed, didn’t you?” Jack asked, sighing.

Aku scoffed, “No! I was thinking about Ana!”

Jack smiled softly, “I cannot be angry at you for that,”

Aku’s shoulder slumped a little, as he dropped the unspoken tension.

“You thought you were in trouble?”

“Am I not?”

“Ah… No?” Jack said, “I think you have Ana to thank for that.”

Aku sighed, mumbling curses under his breath, “If that fool had so much as scratched her!”

“He would not,” Jack said firmly, “The threat was at me, and it was not really a threat. The last time I was hypnotized I did not remember how to fight,”

Aku hissed, annoyed, “Oh how _thoughtful_ ,”

Jack smiled, “Come on,”

Ana was still pouting when I got up to the room.

“I think,” Aku said, kneeling next to the tiny fridge, “I need a real drink. Today… has been idiotic beyond reasonable measure.”

Jack smiled at Ana but she looked away in a huff.

Jack sighed and sat on a leather chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

“I am sorry Ana,” Jack said earnestly, “Truly,”

“How come he’s your friend when he acts like that?!”

Jack made to say something—

“You have to understand, Little Queen, most people _do not_ like me,”

“Yeah? Well if Jack can get over it, why can’t he?!”

“Jack is not, ‘over it’,” he told her calmly, sitting on the bed next to her with his glass.

She crossed her arms, grimacing.

Jack smiled at her sympathetically

“Jack is also much more mature,” he added, “and not an _idiot_ ,”

Jack rolled his eyes.

“I don’t like it,” she whined at Aku, glaring at him defiantly.

He smiled, “And what a display you put into it!”

“Are you making fun of me?!”

“No!” He shook his head, taking a sip of his drink and set it on the table, “I am... flattered,”

She squinted.

“But no matter my _opinion_ of Jack’s friends,... they are still his friends and if he must tolerate me, then you must tolerate him, so you see?”

Jack scoffed in surprise and then quickly tried to cover it with a cough.

“Okay,” Ana said, sliding off the bed and over to Jack, hugging him around the shoulders, “I’m sorry,”

Jack hugged her back, “He scared you and offended you, no need to apologize to me.”

She kissed him in the forehead and hopped off him again, stretching.

“If it’s cool with you, I want to play my video game and go to sleep. Can I have the other room?”

“We have another room?”

“It’s got an adjoining door,” she said, pointing to a door and then opening it to reveal another small room.

“Of course,”

She smiled and nodded, picking up her backpack and dragging it into the adjoining room, shutting the door with a click.

Jack whipped around and moved to the bed, leaning into Aku’s space.

“What?!”

“Who are you and what have you done with Aku?” He teased.

Aku growled at him, “I do not need for her to be miserable for the rest of her life for me just because others do not like me! I would not have—”

Jack kissed him.

“Mm!?” Aku relaxed and Jack pushed him back into the bed, so he could lay by his side.

“ _Okay_ ,” Aku said a little squeakily, putting his arm around Jack.

Ana called Hugh on the hotel phone the next morning and he quickly agreed to come and get her. Aku stared at her sadly during the entire phone call. She gathered her things and demanded to be carried downstairs so she could give him a 5 minute long hug before she had to leave and not see him for a while. Jack smiled the entire elevator ride down. They would wait in the front sitting area until her friends came to get her.

The Scotsman was _waiting_ for them. Aku and The Scotsman eyed each other wearily as he set Ana down on the ground. She flopped down on one of the leather couches and Aku slunk away to get ‘something’, Jack wasn’t sure what he’d said as he’d been angrily muttering as he got further away.

The moment Jack was comfortable next to Ana The Scotsman started on them.

“ _What about your quest_?” he demanded.

Jack twitched, furrowing his brows, “What _about_ my quest?”

“You are supposed to go back in time and _kill him_ , Jack!”

Jack tensed his jaw and closed his eyes.

“Jaaaack, es no the first time you’ve fallen for this bugger, eh? Eh?! Is it? Coz I seem to recall you thinking you were in love with em before, when he was posen’ as a beautiful woman for ya!”

Jack blinked very slowly, “Aku has- yes, that... happened.”

Ana sighed.

“Ikra was it? Er no somethin’ dull like ‘Jill’?”

Heat flared over Jack’s face, “It does not matter now,” he said quickly “I _know_ he is Aku,”

The Scotsman narrowed his beady eyes, “so, you are _prepared_ for when he’s goanna betray ya then? What’s the plan?”

Jack sighed and rubbed his fingers into his temples, “He will not,”

“Ye canne _really_ believe tha?!”

“Yes,” Ana said assuredly.

“How can you say that? You don’t know em! Ya ever seen the _look in es eyes_ when he kills someone, eh?”

“Have you ever seen the look in yours?” she shot back bitterly.

Jack frowned.

“He’s a monster!” he insisted.

“He’s a person like us!”

“No! Lass! _He es a monster_ ,”

Her lips twitched and a coldness grew in her eyes, but she closed them and breathed it away.

“My Mother used to grow wildflowers. Pretty much any plant, any that would grow where she put it down. People made fun of her when I was little. They called her, the ‘weed lady’. So… when I was old enough, I asked her why she didn’t take out all the weeds, and plant only real plants,” Ana took in another deep breath, staring through the Scotsman into the memory she told,

“‘Go and get weed killer,’ she told me, so I did. I went out and got weed killer and brought it to her. We sprayed the whole front yard. We made sure not to miss anything so that we would only have real plants. The next day, all the plants were dead.

So I asked her, ‘Why did they all die and not just the weeds?’

and she told me, ‘Because all plants are weeds if you call them that. Weed is only a word. A word that poison does not know.’”

The Scotsman stared in surprise, chuckled darkly and threw back the last of his beer.

“Ya got an’ old soul, girl,” he said nodding to her, “Yer made a’ fire and full of mercy that you’re eager to bless upon an undeservin’ world. Ah hope, for your sake that yer’ right. But I’ll be here for ‘ye, when you’re not.”

She blinked at him and he nodded sternly and stood, “An you, Jack. You know better. But same goes for ye… I’ll be waiten’”

Jack nodded, “Thank you, my friend,”

“Don’ let nobody put you out’ girl,” he said. And with that, he left.

Hugh didn’t get a whole lot of time to stare in shock when he saw who Ana was standing with. She squeezed Jack goodbye and gave Aku a wide eyed sad stare before running off and grasping Hugh’s hands. Jack couldn’t hear what she was telling him, but he could see the look of concern in the man’s pale eyes, and he relaxed a bit. She deserved to live a normal life. To be a child for a little while longer.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Abby Something ! Thank you for inspiring me to write this !!
> 
> I cannot believe how many amazing people I've met because of this tiny fandom. Seriously love all of you. (Especially one of you, you know who you are) Thank you so much for making my grey days glorious. 
> 
> PRAISE TO AKU


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